JP7746772B2 - Beverages and beverage stabilizers - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to beverages and beverage stabilizers, and in particular to technology for improving the taste and flavor of beverages such as coffee and coffee-infused milk drinks while maintaining their stability.

In dairy beverages, which have a large market share in the luxury beverage category, a cost-effective technology is known for using vegetable oils instead of the traditionally used dairy products containing milk fat (milk, cream, whole milk powder, concentrated milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, etc.). Beverages that use vegetable oils use emulsifiers to emulsify and disperse the oils, and combinations of various emulsifiers have been proposed.

For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a beverage containing vegetable oil and emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid ester, organic acid glycerin fatty acid ester, and polyglycerin fatty acid ester and/or lecithin. In the examples of Patent Document 1, sucrose stearate with an HLB of 5 is used together with sucrose palmitate with an HLB of 16 as the sucrose fatty acid ester, and the concentration of sucrose stearate with an HLB of 5 in the beverage is set to 0.01 or 0.04% by weight (= 100 or 400 ppm).

Although vegetable oils and fats are not used as lipids, Patent Document 2 proposes a milk coffee beverage that uses a combination of two specific types of sucrose fatty acid esters in a specified ratio. In the examples of Patent Document 2, 0.07% by weight (700 ppm) of sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 is blended into the coffee beverage, but the beverage does not contain vegetable oils and fats.

Patent Document 3 proposes a dairy-based beverage for foaming containing a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 10 or more, but the examples in Patent Document 3 use only a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 16. In addition, a comparative example uses a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5, but this is considered to be inferior in terms of foam stability, etc.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-341933 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-289164 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-029179

The lipid content of conventionally available milk coffee beverages that can be stored at room temperature is approximately 0.3 to 1% by mass, but in coffee beverages and the like, the higher the lipid content, the stronger the coffee flavor and the milder, more drinkable they tend to be. For this reason, beverages with a higher lipid content are desired, but because lipids cause quality deterioration known as creaming, beverages with a high lipid content are undesirable in terms of stability.
On the other hand, proteins contained in milk and other beverages adsorb to the surroundings of oil, so a high protein content can stabilize the oil. However, a high protein content has the drawback of making the drink taste less light and refreshing, as it has a strong richness and milk-derived flavor characteristic of proteins.

For this reason, for those who don't like milk or who want to enjoy the original flavor of coffee,
High-fat, low-protein beverages are desirable, but the difficulty of stabilizing lipids in low-protein beverages presents a challenge.
In particular, when the lipids contain a large amount of saturated fatty acids derived from highly crystalline hydrogenated vegetable oils, it is extremely difficult to produce a beverage that is stable even when stored at 60°C, which is the temperature required for hot sales, or at 35°C, which is the temperature required for storage at room temperature in midsummer.

In view of the problems of the prior art described above, the present invention aims to provide a coffee drink or other beverage that is high in fat and low in protein, resulting in a mild, pleasant flavor and palatability, and that has excellent storage stability at room temperature to high temperatures due to the stabilized emulsion provided by an emulsifier.

As a result of extensive investigations into solving the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have found that by blending a sucrose fatty acid ester having a medium HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less in a predetermined ratio, it is possible to stabilize emulsification in high-fat, low-protein beverages, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems.
The present invention was achieved based on these findings and is summarized as follows.

[1] A beverage having a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more and containing 650 ppm or more of sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 5 to 12.

[2] The beverage described in [1], further containing an emulsifier with an HLB greater than 12.

[3] The beverage described in [1] or [2], having a protein content of 2% by mass or less.

[4] A beverage according to any one of [1] to [3] containing a coffee component.

[5] The beverage described in any one of [1] to [4], wherein the content of polyglycerol fatty acid ester is 400 ppm or less.

[6] The beverage described in any one of [1] to [5], wherein the organic acid monoglyceride content is 350 ppm or less.

[7] A beverage according to any one of [1] to [6], containing as the lipid at least one selected from vegetable oil and fats obtained by fractionating, hardening, or interesterifying vegetable oil.

[8] The beverage described in [7], wherein the lipid is hydrogenated coconut oil and/or hydrogenated palm kernel oil.

[9] A stabilizer for a milk coffee beverage having a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more and a protein content of 2% by mass or less, comprising the following components A to D:
Component A: sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less. Component B: emulsifier with an HLB of more than 12. Component C: sodium caseinate. Component D: microcrystalline cellulose.

The present invention provides coffee drinks and other beverages that are high in fat and low in protein, resulting in a mild, pleasant flavor and palatability, and the emulsifier stabilizes the emulsion, resulting in excellent storage stability at room temperature to high temperatures.

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. However, the following description of the constituent elements is merely an example (representative example) of an embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these contents.

[Beverage]
The beverage of the present invention is characterized by having a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more and containing 650 ppm or more of sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less.

<Fat>
The lipid content of the beverage of the present invention is 1.5% by mass or more, and a lipid content above the above lower limit results in a high-lipid beverage that is mild and has an excellent palatability, and in the case of a coffee beverage, has a strong coffee flavor and a good taste. From this perspective, the lipid content of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 1.8% by mass or more, more preferably 2.1% by mass or more, and even more preferably 2.4% by mass or more. On the other hand, from the perspective of fully obtaining the stabilizing effect of the sucrose fatty acid ester used in the present invention, the lipid content of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 4.0% by mass or less, more preferably 3.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less.

Therefore, in the beverage of the present invention, lipid-containing ingredients such as the oils and fats and milk components described below are blended so that the lipid content of the resulting beverage falls within the above-mentioned preferred range.

The lipid content of a beverage can be calculated from the lipid percentage of each component contained in the beverage and the content of that component.

<Oils and fats>
In order to ensure that the lipid content of the beverage of the present invention is equal to or higher than the above lower limit, it is preferable to blend oils and fats as lipids.

There are no particular restrictions on the oils and fats, and animal oils and fats such as fish oil, beef tallow, lard, milk fat (butter or anhydrous butter), horse oil, snake oil, egg oil, egg yolk oil, turtle oil, and mink oil are acceptable, but vegetable oils and fats are preferred, including soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, perilla oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, rice germ oil, wheat germ oil, brown rice germ oil, Job's tears oil, garlic oil, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, and raspberry oil. Vegetable oils and fats such as primrose oil, flower oil, camellia oil, coconut oil, castor oil, linseed oil, and cocoa oil; and products obtained by hydrogenating or interesterifying these, such as hydrogenated oils and processed oils obtained by refining, deodorizing, fractionating, hardening, and interesterifying liquid or solid vegetable oils and fats such as MCT (medium-chain fatty acid oil), hydrogenated coconut oil, and hydrogenated palm kernel oil; and liquid oils and solid fats obtained by fractionating these oils and fats; medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, etc.

Of these, vegetable oils and oils obtained by fractionating, hardening, or interesterifying vegetable oils are preferred from a cost perspective, with hardened coconut oil and hardened palm kernel oil being particularly preferred from the perspective of flavor when added to beverages. Because vegetable oils and oils obtained by fractionating, hardening, or interesterifying vegetable oils are low cost, they preferably comprise at least 50% by mass of the total oils and fats in the beverage, more preferably at least 70% by mass, and most preferably at least 90% by mass. The saturated fatty acid content of the oils and fats in the beverage is preferably at least 70% by mass, more preferably at least 90% by mass, and most preferably at least 95% by mass, in order to achieve a good flavor when added to the beverage and to reduce flavor deterioration during long-term storage of the beverage. The SFC (solid fat content) at 20°C of the oils and fats in the beverage is preferably at least 30% and more preferably at least 40% in order to achieve an excellent taste when added to the beverage.

The beverage may contain only one of these fats or oils, or two or more.

In the present invention, such oils and fats are used so that the total lipid content in the beverage, together with the lipids contained in other lipid-containing components, such as the dairy components described below, falls within the preferred range described above.

<Sucrose fatty acid ester with HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less>
In the present invention, a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 is used as an essential emulsifier and stabilizer for the beverage. If the HLB of this sucrose fatty acid ester is less than 5 or more than 12, the stabilizing effect of the high-fat, low-protein beverage of the present invention cannot be sufficiently obtained.
The HLB of the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 is preferably in the range of 7 to 12, more preferably in the range of 9 to 12, from the viewpoint of the stabilizing effect of the beverage.

There are no particular restrictions on the constituent fatty acids in sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB of 5 to 12. Specific examples of sucrose fatty acid esters include sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, and sucrose oleate. Of these, sucrose palmitate and sucrose stearate are particularly preferred, with sucrose stearate being the most preferred.

Sucrose fatty acid esters are known food emulsifiers, and commercially available sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB of 5 to 12 can be used. Examples include "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1170 (HLB: 11)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-970 (HLB: 9)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-770 (HLB: 7)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570 (HLB: 5)," and "Ryoto Sugar Ester L-570 (HLB: 5)" (all manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation); "DK Ester F-110 (HLB: 11)," "DK Ester F-90 (HLB: 9.5)," "DK Ester F-70 (HLB: 8)," and "DK Ester F-50 (HLB: 6)" (all manufactured by Daiichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co., Ltd.).

Furthermore, as the sucrose fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester produced by microwave irradiation, as described in Japanese Patent No. 5945756, may be used.

The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of these sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB of 5 to 12, or may contain two or more of them.

The beverage of the present invention contains 650 ppm or more of sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 5 to 12.
When the content of sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 5 to 12 is 650 ppm or more, the stabilizing effect of the sucrose fatty acid esters can be sufficiently obtained. From the viewpoint of the stabilizing effect of the beverage, the content of sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 5 to 12 is preferably 800 ppm or more, and more preferably 1100 ppm or more. On the other hand, since an excessive content of sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 5 to 12 impairs the flavor of the beverage, the content of sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 5 to 12 in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 4000 ppm or less, more preferably 3500 ppm or less, even more preferably 2600 ppm or less, particularly preferably 2000 ppm or less, and most preferably 1500 ppm or less.

<Emulsifiers with HLB greater than 12>
The beverage of the present invention preferably contains an emulsifier having an HLB of greater than 12 in addition to the above-mentioned sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12, from the viewpoint of achieving a greater stabilizing effect and bacteriostatic effect of the beverage.
From the viewpoint of stabilizing the beverage, the HLB of the emulsifier having an HLB of more than 12 is preferably 13 to 17, and more preferably 15 to 16.

The emulsifier with an HLB greater than 12 is not particularly limited as long as it is a food-grade emulsifier, and may be an emulsifier other than sucrose fatty acid esters, such as non-ionic emulsifiers such as glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, and sorbitan fatty acid esters, or ionic emulsifiers such as organic acid monoglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, and lecithin. However, sucrose fatty acid esters or polyglycerin fatty acid esters are preferred, with sucrose fatty acid esters being most preferred, as they provide superior stabilizing and bacteriostatic effects when used in combination with sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB of 5 to 12.

There are no particular restrictions on the constituent fatty acids in sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB greater than 12, and specific examples of sucrose fatty acid esters include sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, sucrose myristate, sucrose laurate, and sucrose oleate. Of these, sucrose palmitate and sucrose myristate are preferred, with sucrose palmitate being particularly preferred.

Commercially available emulsifiers with an HLB greater than 12, particularly sucrose fatty acid esters, include, for example, "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1670 (HLB: 16)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1670 (HLB: 16)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1570 (HLB: 15)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1570 (HLB: 15)," and "Ryoto Sugar Ester M- Examples include "Ryoto Sugar Ester L-1695 (HLB: 16)," "Ryoto Sugar Ester L-1695 (HLB: 16)," and "Ryoto Sugar Ester O-1570 (HLB: 15)" (all trade names manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation); "DK Ester SS (HLB: 19)," "DK Ester F-160 (HLB: 15)," and "DK Ester F-140 (HLB: 13)" (all trade names manufactured by Dai-ichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co., Ltd.).

The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of these emulsifiers with an HLB greater than 12, or may contain two or more of them.

When the beverage of the present invention contains an emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12, its content is preferably 400 ppm or more, and more preferably 900 ppm or more. On the other hand, the content of emulsifiers with an HLB of greater than 12 is preferably 3000 ppm or less, more preferably 2000 ppm or less, and most preferably 1500 ppm or less. When the content of emulsifiers with an HLB of greater than 12 is greater than or equal to the above lower limit and less than or equal to the above upper limit, good stabilizing and bacteriostatic effects can be obtained when used in combination with sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB of 5 to 12.

In addition, from the perspective of more effectively achieving the synergistic effect of using a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5-12 in combination with an emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12, the weight ratio of the sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5-12 to the emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12 is preferably in the range of 20:80 to 80:20 (sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5-12:emulsifier with an HLB of greater than 12), and the total content of these in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 1200 ppm to 6000 ppm, and particularly preferably 2000 to 4000 ppm.

<Polyglycerol fatty acid ester>
The beverage of the present invention may contain a polyglycerol fatty acid ester such as decaglycerol fatty acid ester, octapolyglycerol fatty acid ester, tetraglycerol fatty acid ester, pentaglycerol fatty acid ester, triglycerol fatty acid ester, or diglycerol fatty acid ester. However, if the beverage contains a polyglycerol fatty acid ester, an excessively high content of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester is not preferred because it impairs the flavor of the beverage.
Therefore, the content of polyglycerol fatty acid ester in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 400 ppm or less, more preferably 300 ppm or less, particularly preferably 200 ppm or less, and most preferably contains no polyglycerol fatty acid ester.

<Organic acid monoglyceride>
The beverage of the present invention may contain an organic acid monoglyceride, and by including an organic acid monoglyceride, an even more excellent stabilizing effect can be obtained.

Organic acid monoglycerides have a structure in which one molecule of glycerin is bonded to one molecule of fatty acid and one molecule of organic acid. They are generally obtained by reacting an organic acid anhydride with a fatty acid monoglyceride. The reaction is usually carried out under solvent-free conditions. For example, the reaction of succinic anhydride with a monoglyceride having 18 carbon atoms is completed in about 90 minutes at a temperature of around 120°C. The organic acid monoglyceride thus obtained is usually a mixture containing organic acid, unreacted monoglyceride, diglyceride, and other oligomers. In the present invention, such a mixture may be used as is, or, if the purity of the organic acid monoglyceride is desired to be increased, commercially available distilled monoglycerides may be used. Furthermore, a monoglyceride in which the organic acid portion has been partially neutralized may also be used.

Examples of organic acids that make up organic acid monoglycerides include succinic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, diacetyltartaric acid, malic acid, adipic acid, glutaric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid. Of these, succinic acid, citric acid, and diacetyltartaric acid, which are used in food applications, are preferred, with succinic acid being particularly preferred in terms of flavor.

Fatty acids constituting the organic acid monoglycerides derived from the above fatty acid monoglycerides include, for example, saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, such as caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, and oleic acid. Among these, fatty acids containing stearic acid as the main component are preferred from the standpoint of flavor, and those in which 70% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids is stearic acid are particularly preferred.

A single organic acid monoglyceride may be used, or two or more organic acid monoglycerides with different constituent organic acids or fatty acids may be mixed and used.

When the beverage of the present invention contains organic acid monoglycerides, the organic acid monoglyceride content is preferably 350 ppm or less, since too much organic acid monoglyceride in the beverage will impair the flavor of the beverage. On the other hand, if the organic acid monoglyceride content is too low, the aforementioned effects of using organic acid monoglycerides cannot be fully achieved. For these reasons, the organic acid monoglyceride content in the beverage is preferably 100 to 350 ppm, and more preferably 150 to 350 ppm.

<Protein content>
In order to achieve a high fat/low protein content, when the beverage of the present invention contains protein-containing ingredients such as milk components and sodium caseinate, as described below, the protein content is preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, particularly preferably 1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.8% by mass or less. A low protein content reduces the richness and milk-derived flavor characteristic of protein, resulting in a pleasant drinking experience. On the other hand, a low protein content can reduce the stability of a beverage, but in the present invention, stability can be improved by using a sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 to 12 in a specified proportion.
On the other hand, if the protein content is too low, the milk-derived flavor will be lost and the coffee flavor will be too strong, making the beverage unpalatable, so the lower limit of the protein content of the beverage of the present invention is usually 0.1% by mass or more, and preferably 0.3% by mass or more.

The protein content of a beverage can be calculated from the protein ratio of the protein-containing ingredients in the beverage, such as the milk components and sodium caseinate described below, and the content of those ingredients.

<Milk ingredients>
The beverages of the present invention typically contain a milk component or a vegetable milk component.

Milk ingredients used as milk components include milk, concentrated milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, condensed milk, butter, cheese, cream, whey, casein, total milk protein, mineral-enriched whey, lactose-free whey, desalted whey, whey minerals, dairy products such as buttermilk, butter serum, and powdered versions of these such as buttermilk powder and butter serum powder, and milk hydrolysates obtained by breaking down dairy products using enzymes or microorganisms.

Plant-based milk ingredients include soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, rice milk, almond milk, pea milk, and hemp milk.
Soy milk used as a vegetable milk ingredient can use, without limitation, yellow soybeans, green soybeans, black soybeans, etc. As a method for producing soy milk from soybeans, known methods can be used, and soy milk can generally be obtained by soaking soybeans in water, hot water, etc. for a certain period of time, grinding them, and removing the okara.

The beverage of the present invention may contain only one of these milk components, or may contain two or more of them. It may also contain only one of these plant-based milk components, or may contain two or more of them. It may also contain one or more milk components and one or more plant-based milk components.

These milk ingredients are blended so that the protein content of the beverage of the present invention, when combined with the protein content of other protein-containing ingredients, is preferably below the upper limit mentioned above.

<Coffee ingredients>
The beverage of the present invention is preferably a coffee beverage or a milk beverage containing a coffee component.
Coffee extract is typically used as the coffee component. Any coffee beans can be used to produce the coffee extract, including Arabica beans from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Kilimanjaro, etc., and Robusta beans from Indonesia and Uganda, either singly or in combination. Conditions for roasting, grinding, and extraction of the coffee beans can also be selected as desired.

There are no particular restrictions on the amount of coffee extract used, but it is typically used so that the solids (coffee components) content of the coffee extract in the beverage is approximately 0.3 to 1.5% by mass.

<Other additives>
From the viewpoint of stability during long-term storage, the beverage of the present invention may contain one or more additives such as sodium caseinate, thickening polysaccharides, microcrystalline cellulose, saponin, and the like.

Sodium caseinate is preferred because its inclusion can further enhance the stability of the beverage. From the perspective of beverage stability, it is preferable to use sodium caseinate so that its content in the beverage is 600 ppm or more, particularly 800 ppm or more. On the other hand, if the sodium caseinate content is too high, the flavor will be impaired and a rough texture will occur, resulting in an undesirable mouthfeel. Therefore, it is preferable that the sodium caseinate content of the beverage of the present invention be 2500 ppm or less.

Thickening polysaccharides are preferred because their inclusion can further enhance the stability of the beverage.

Preferred thickening polysaccharides are natural water-soluble polymeric polysaccharides, such as galactomannan, xanthan gum, carrageenan, gum arabic, tamarind gum, and gellan gum, with carrageenan and xanthan gum being more preferred.

These thickening polysaccharides may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

When the beverage of the present invention contains a thickening polysaccharide, from the viewpoint of the stabilizing effect of the thickening polysaccharide, the thickening polysaccharide content of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 20 ppm or more, more preferably 35 ppm or more. On the other hand, if the thickening polysaccharide content is too high, the beverage may become thickened and have an undesirable texture, so the thickening polysaccharide content of the beverage of the present invention is preferably 500 ppm or less, particularly 300 ppm or less.

Microcrystalline cellulose is preferred because its inclusion increases the redispersibility of beverage ingredients and inhibits precipitation. From the perspective of inhibiting precipitation, it is preferable to use microcrystalline cellulose at a content of 150 ppm or more, particularly 300 ppm or more, in the beverage. On the other hand, if the microcrystalline cellulose content is too high, the beverage will become rough and have an undesirable texture, so the microcrystalline cellulose content in the beverage of the present invention is preferably 2000 ppm or less.

In addition, the following additives may be added to the beverage of the present invention as appropriate.

(pH adjuster)
pH adjusters such as organic acids and their salts, baking soda, and phosphates

(Sugars)
Monosaccharides and oligosaccharides such as sugar, granulated sugar, fructose, glucose, maltose, galactose, mannose, fucose, xylose, trehalose, lactose, mannooligosaccharides, and maltooligosaccharides

(Sugar alcohol)
Sugar alcohols such as erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and inositol

(sweetener)
Various sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, neotame, and stevia extract

(fragrance)
Flavorings such as lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, coffee flavor, tea flavor, butter flavor, cream flavor, milk flavor, etc.

(Flavoring ingredients)
Carotenoids such as β-carotene, astaxanthin, lycopene, and paprika pigments, pigments such as chlorophyll, and flavoring ingredients such as salt

(mineral material)
Mineral materials such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium

(Nutritional ingredients)
Nutritional ingredients such as vitamins, coenzyme Q10, amino acids, peptides, DHA, EPA, etc.

(antioxidant)
Antioxidants such as vitamin C, sodium vitamin C, vitamin E, rosemary extract, tea extract, and bayberry extract

(preservative)
Mustard extract, shelf life enhancers such as lysozyme, preservatives such as nisin, sorbic acid and its salts

(alcoholic beverages)
Liqueurs, vodka, shochu, and other alcoholic beverages

<Types of drinks>
Examples of the beverage of the present invention include milk beverages, soup beverages, coffee beverages, cocoa beverages, tea beverages (black tea, green tea, Chinese tea, etc.), bean/grain beverages, acidic beverages, powdered beverages, powdered soups, etc. Among these, milk beverages, coffee beverages, black tea beverages, green tea beverages, Chinese tea beverages, and bean/grain beverages are preferred, milk beverages, coffee beverages, black tea beverages, green tea beverages, Chinese tea beverages, and bean/grain beverages are more preferred, milk beverages and coffee beverages are particularly preferred, and coffee beverages are most preferred.

<Beverage manufacturing method>
The beverage of the present invention is produced, for example, as follows.

First, a liquid mixture is prepared by mixing lipid-containing ingredients such as vegetable oil, emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid esters, and other ingredients exemplified as ingredients that may be contained in the beverage, together with water, if necessary.

The resulting mixture is then stirred to emulsify. Any homogeneous emulsification method commonly used for food products can be used without particular restrictions. For example, any method using a homogenizer, a colloid mill, or a homomixer can be used. This homogeneous emulsification process is usually carried out under heated conditions at 40 to 80°C.

The emulsification treatment may be carried out only once, or may be carried out two or more times (multiple times).
"Performing emulsification multiple times" means that the material to be treated is introduced into an emulsifier, emulsified under predetermined conditions, and then the emulsified product is removed, and this operation is repeated multiple times. Here, the emulsifiers used for the multiple emulsification treatments may be the same or different.

For example, prior to the high-pressure emulsification treatment described in detail below, preliminary emulsification may be carried out under low-pressure or normal pressure conditions using a paddle mixer, homomixer, ultrasonic homogenizer, colloid mill, kneader, in-line mixer, static mixer, onlater, or the like.
This preliminary emulsification is carried out at a temperature of usually 30°C or higher, preferably 40°C or higher, more preferably 50°C or higher, and usually 100°C or lower, preferably 90°C or lower, more preferably 80°C or lower, for usually 0.005 to 20 hours, preferably 0.01 to 10 hours.

For mass production in a factory, high-pressure emulsification is preferred, as it offers higher manufacturing efficiency and a higher processing capacity per hour.

High-pressure emulsification is a process in which the material to be treated is brought to a high-pressure state by pumping it through narrow gaps in a homogenizing valve, a flow path, a nozzle, etc., and then the pressure is suddenly reduced. The energy from this pressure difference is used to increase the flow rate, and the material to be treated is collided at high speed with a valve or ring, or with other materials, generating turbulence, cavitation, and shear forces, and this energy is used to break down and emulsify the material to a smaller size.

Specifically, high-pressure emulsification refers to emulsification performed under a processing pressure of preferably 10 MPa or higher at the time of high-pressure emulsification in a single-stage system, or more preferably 15 MPa or higher in at least one stage of high-pressure emulsification in a multi-stage system such as a two-stage system. A higher processing pressure for the emulsification process is preferable, as it allows the oils and fats to be emulsified and dispersed uniformly as sufficiently fine particles.

In terms of emulsion stability, there is no particular upper limit to the processing pressure, but it is usually 200 MPa or less, depending on the pressure resistance of the emulsifier used and on industrial practicality. The processing pressure is preferably 100 MPa or less, more preferably 80 MPa or less, even more preferably 50 MPa or less, and most preferably 45 MPa or less.

Commercially available emulsifying machines used for high-pressure emulsification include, for example, valve-type machines such as the GAURIN 125T and 132T manufactured by SPX Corporation and the HV-5H and HV-5E manufactured by Izumi Food Machinery Co., Ltd., nozzle-type machines such as the NanoVeida manufactured by Yoshida Kikai Kogyo Co., Ltd. and the Starburst 100 manufactured by Sugino Machine Co., Ltd., and chamber-type machines such as the Microfluidizer manufactured by Powrex Corporation.

The hourly processing capacity in high-pressure emulsification is typically 0.1 ton/hour or more, preferably 1 ton/hour or more, more preferably 5 ton/hour or more, and most preferably 10 ton/hour or more. By achieving such a processing capacity, high-pressure emulsification can be carried out without reducing production efficiency. There is no particular upper limit to the hourly processing capacity in high-pressure emulsification, but it is typically 500 ton/hour or less.

The duration of each emulsification treatment will vary depending on the treatment amount and treatment pressure, but in order to obtain good emulsion stability without compromising productivity, particularly in the case of mass production in a factory, the duration is usually 0.005 hours or more, preferably 0.01 hours or more, and most preferably 0.1 hours or more, and usually 20 hours or less, preferably 10 hours or less, more preferably 5 hours or less, particularly preferably 2 hours or less, and most preferably 1 hour or less.

The temperature during high-pressure emulsification is usually 30°C or higher, preferably 40°C or higher, more preferably 50°C or higher, and usually 100°C or lower, preferably 90°C or lower, more preferably 80°C or lower. From the perspective of emulsification efficiency, it is preferable for the processing temperature to be above the lower limit, and from the perspective of handleability of the emulsion, it is preferable for the processing temperature to be below the upper limit. This processing temperature may also be different for each run, or it may be the same.

The pH of the material to be treated during emulsification is usually 5.0 or higher, preferably greater than 5.0, more preferably 5.2 or higher, even more preferably 5.5 or higher, and particularly preferably 6.0 or higher, in order to ensure that the emulsifier used disperses well in water and efficiently emulsifies the oils and fats, and is usually 9.0 or lower, preferably 8.0 or lower. The pH of the material to be treated can be adjusted by adding a pH adjuster such as baking soda or phosphate, or other additives, to the material to be treated.

This homogeneous emulsification process is followed by a sterilization process such as UHT sterilization or retort sterilization. Retort sterilization is typically carried out at 110-140°C, for example 121°C, for 10-40 minutes. Meanwhile, UHT sterilization, used for beverages in PET bottles, is an ultra-high-temperature sterilization process performed at higher temperatures, for example 120-150°C, with a sterilization value (Fo) at 121°C equivalent to 10-50. UHT sterilization can be performed by known methods, such as direct heating methods such as steam injection, in which steam is blown directly into the beverage, or steam infusion, in which the beverage is heated by injecting it into steam, or indirect heating methods using a surface heat exchanger such as a plate or tube; for example, a plate-type sterilizer can be used.

The beverage produced according to the present invention is suitable for use in containerized beverages, such as canned beverages, PET bottled beverages, paper-packaged beverages, bottled beverages, and plastic cup beverages.
The beverage of the present invention has excellent stability even though it is high in fat and low in protein, and therefore the bottled beverage produced in this manner can stably maintain a good emulsified state, flavor, and taste for a long period of time, even when stored at 60°C, which is the temperature assumed for hot sales, or at 35°C, which is the temperature assumed for storage at room temperature in midsummer.

[Stabilizer for milk coffee drinks]
The stabilizer of the present invention is a stabilizer for a milk coffee beverage having a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more and a protein content of 2% by mass or less, and is characterized by containing the following components A to D.
Component A: sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less. Component B: emulsifier with an HLB of more than 12. Component C: sodium caseinate. Component D: microcrystalline cellulose.

The above-mentioned component A has the same meaning as the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less contained in the beverage of the present invention, and the preferred examples are also the same.
Furthermore, the above-mentioned component B has the same meaning as the emulsifier having an HLB of greater than 12 contained in the beverage of the present invention, and the preferred examples are also the same.

There are no particular restrictions on the contents of components A to D of the stabilizer in the milk coffee beverage of the present invention, provided that the amounts are such that a beverage can be produced in which the contents of each component fall within the preferred ranges described above.
Furthermore, the stabilizer for the milk coffee beverage of the present invention may be a single agent in which all of components A to D are mixed in advance, or a stabilizer in which some of components A to D and the remainder are provided separately.
Alternatively, components A to D may all be provided separately.

Although not particularly limited, in one embodiment of the stabilizer for milk coffee beverages of the present invention, 15 to 60% by mass of component A is contained in a total of 100% by mass of components A to D.
Component B: 15-60% by mass
Component C: 15-60% by mass
Component D: 5-30% by mass
It is preferable that the content is in the range of 1:
These may also be in the form of an aqueous emulsion having a solid content concentration of 5 to 50% by mass.

The stabilizer for the milk coffee beverage of the present invention can be efficiently produced by mixing it with fats and oils, milk ingredients, other emulsifiers and additives, etc. during beverage production, and then subjecting it to a homogeneous emulsification process according to the beverage production method described above.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to the description of the following examples as long as it does not depart from the gist of the invention.

[Raw materials used]
The ingredients used to prepare the beverages in the following Examples and Comparative Examples are as follows:

<Sucrose fatty acid ester>
P-1670: Sucrose palmitate "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1670" (HLB: 16) manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
S-1170: Sucrose stearate "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-1170" (HLB: 11), manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation

<Organic acid monoglyceride>
B-30: Succinic acid stearic acid monoglyceride "Poem B-30" manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.

<Thickening polysaccharides>
MW-210: κ-carrageenan "Soagina MW-210" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
ML310: λ-carrageenan "Soagina ML310" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
MV512: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation's iota-carrageenan "Soagina MV512"
XG400: Mitsubishi Chemical xanthan gum "Soaxan XG400"

<Milk ingredients>
Milk: Megmilk Milk, manufactured by Megmilk Snow Brand Co., Ltd.
Milk powder: Yotsuba Hokkaido Skim Milk Powder manufactured by Yotsuba Dairy Co., Ltd.

<Oils and fats>
Vegetable oil emulsion: O/W emulsion containing 45% by mass of hardened palm oil as lipid

<Other ingredients>
Microcrystalline cellulose: "CEOLUS SC-900S" manufactured by Asahi Kasei Chemical Corporation
Sodium caseinate: "Tatua 100" manufactured by Tatua Japan
Baking soda: Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. Granulated sugar: Nissin Sugar Co., Ltd. Coffee beans: Colombia EX L=20.5, Allied Coffee Roasters, Inc.

[Examples 1 to 5, Comparative Example 1]
A coffee extract was extracted by adding 10 times the amount of hot water to coffee beans, and sodium bicarbonate previously dissolved in hot water was added to the extracted coffee extract to adjust the pH. The components listed in Table 1 were then added and mixed to the contents listed in Table 1, followed by dissolution. Water was then added to bring the total to 100% by mass. The liquid was heated to 65°C and homogenized at 20 MPa in a high-pressure homogenizer. The liquid was then filled into cans, sealed, and retort sterilized at 121°C for 30 minutes to prepare canned milk coffee. The pH of the beverage after sterilization was 6.6 to 6.8.

The lipid and protein contents calculated from the blending amounts of each component in each canned milk coffee obtained and the lipid and protein contents of each component are shown in Table 2.

The following evaluations were carried out on each of the canned milk coffees obtained, and the results are shown in Table 3.

[Evaluation method for each canned milk coffee]
<Stability at 35°C for 4 weeks>
Oily particles: Each can of milk coffee was stored at 35° C. for 4 weeks and then left to stand overnight at 3° C. The next day, the can was opened and the contents were poured into a cup. The occurrence of oily particles was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria.
1: A large amount of oil particles are present.
2: Oil particles are present, causing some quality problems.
3: A small amount of oil particles are present, but at a level that does not pose a quality problem.
4: No oil particles at all, in good condition.
Sedimentation: In the evaluation of oil particles described above, the bottom of the can after the contents were transferred to a cup was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria.
1: There is a large amount of sediment.
2: Sediment is present, causing some quality problems.
3: A small amount of sediment is present, but it is at a level that does not pose a quality problem.
4: No sediment at all, good.

<Stability after 4 weeks at 60°C>
Oil droplets: Each can of milk coffee was stored at 60° C. for 4 weeks, and then allowed to stand overnight at 3° C. The next day, the can was opened and the contents were poured into a cup. The occurrence of oil droplets was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria.
1: A large amount of oil particles are present.
2: Oil particles are present, causing some quality problems.
3: A small amount of oil particles are present, but at a level that does not pose a quality problem.
4: No oil particles at all, in good condition.
Sedimentation: In the evaluation of oil particles described above, the bottom of the can after the contents were transferred to a cup was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria.
1: There is a large amount of sediment.
2: Sediment is present, causing some quality problems.
3: A small amount of sediment is present, but it is at a level that does not pose a quality problem.
4: No sediment at all, good.

The above results demonstrate that the beverages of the present invention, which contain 650 ppm or more of sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB of 5 to 12, are high-fat, low-protein beverages with a lipid content of 1.5% by mass or more (2.67% by mass in Examples 1 to 5) and a protein content of 2% by mass or less (0.466 or 0.559% by mass in Examples 1 to 5), and have excellent emulsion stability even after long-term storage at 35°C or 60°C.
In contrast, Comparative Example 1, in which the content of sucrose fatty acid esters with HLB of 5 to 12 was low at 600 ppm, was inferior in stability at all temperatures.
Examples 2 to 5 show that the stability is improved by further including sodium caseinate.
Furthermore, it can be seen from Examples 2 to 5 that the stability is improved by further including microcrystalline cellulose.
Furthermore, Examples 3 to 5 show that the stability is improved by further including a thickening polysaccharide.

Claims (6)

The lipid content is 1.8 % by mass or more, and the sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 to 12 is contained in an amount of 650 ppm or more , and further
Contains microcrystalline cellulose,
Contains 400 ppm or more of an emulsifier with an HLB greater than 12,
Contains 100 to 350 ppm of organic acid monoglyceride,
A milk beverage having a protein content of 0.1% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less . 2. The milk beverage of claim 1, which contains a coffee component. 3. The milk beverage according to claim 1, wherein the content of polyglycerol fatty acid ester is 400 ppm or less. 4. The milk beverage according to claim 1 , wherein the lipid comprises at least one selected from vegetable oils and fats obtained by fractionation, hardening, or interesterification of vegetable oils. 5. The milk drink according to claim 4 , wherein the lipid is hydrogenated coconut oil and/or hydrogenated palm kernel oil. A stabilizer for a milk coffee beverage containing the following components A to D, having a lipid content of 1.8 % by mass or more, a protein content of 2% by mass or less , and an organic acid monoglyceride content of 100 to 350 ppm .
Component A: 15 to 60% by mass of sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 5 or more and 12 or less
Component B: 15 to 60% by mass of an emulsifier with an HLB greater than 12
Component C: Sodium caseinate 15 to 60% by mass
Component D: microcrystalline cellulose 5 to 30% by mass