JP7773304B2 - Beverages containing ingredients derived from plums or apricots - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a beverage containing ingredients derived from plum or apricot and a method for producing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a beverage containing ingredients derived from plum or apricot that extends the duration of the flavor that lingers after drinking, and a method for producing the same.

Aside from those intended to quench thirst, many blended alcoholic beverages, such as plum wine and apricot wine, are enjoyed for their lingering aroma and flavor. The "length of time the aroma and flavor lasts" is a very important factor when drinking such blended alcoholic beverages.

Therefore, much effort is being put into searching for ingredients that can extend the duration of flavor in hybrid liquor.

Regarding lactones such as δ-octadecalactone, Patent Document 1 discloses a fruit juice enhancer containing δ-octadecalactone and/or γ-octadecalactone as the active ingredient. Patent Document 2 also discloses an oily/fatty feel enhancer containing δ-lactones such as δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, and δ-octadecalactone as the active ingredient. Patent Document 2 also discloses that because lactones with a larger carbon number have a weaker aroma, most commonly used flavorings have a carbon number of 12 or less.

However, there have been no reports on the relationship between lactones such as δ-octadecalactone and the extension of the duration of flavors that linger after drinking beverages such as mixed alcoholic beverages.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-097562 JP 2011-083264 A

The inventors have now discovered that by adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone to a beverage containing components derived from plums or apricots, the duration of the flavor that lingers after drinking the beverage can be extended. The present invention is based on this finding.

Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a beverage containing plum or apricot-derived ingredients that extends the duration of the flavor that lingers after drinking.

According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided.
[1] A mixed liquor containing a component derived from plum or apricot, comprising at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14 to C18 lactone and gamma-C14 to C18 lactone.
[2] The mixed liquor according to [1], comprising at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetralactone, γ-hexalactone and γ-octadecalactone.
[3] The mixed liquor according to [1] or [2], wherein the concentration of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetralactone, γ-hexalactone, γ-octadecalactone, or a combination thereof is 2 to 1,000 ppb.
[4] The mixed liquor according to [3], wherein the concentration is 2 to 250 ppb.
[5] A method for producing a mixed liquor containing components derived from plum or apricot, the method comprising adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14 to C18 lactone and gamma-C14 to C18 lactone to the mixed liquor.
[6] The method according to [5], which comprises adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetralactone, γ-hexalactone and γ-octadecalactone to the mixed alcohol.
[7] The method according to [5] or [6], wherein the concentration of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, γ-octadecalactone or a combination thereof in the mixed liquor is 2 to 1,000 ppb.
[8] The method according to [7], wherein the concentration is 2 to 250 ppb.
[9] A method for extending the duration of flavor that lingers after drinking a mixed liquor containing components derived from plum or apricot, the method comprising adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14-C18 lactone and gamma-C14-C18 lactone to the mixed liquor.
[10] The method according to [9], which comprises adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetralactone, γ-hexalactone and γ-octadecalactone to the mixed liquor.
[11] The method according to [9] or [10], wherein the concentration of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, γ-octadecalactone or a combination thereof in the mixed liquor is 2 to 1,000 ppb.
[12] The method according to [11], wherein the concentration is 2 to 250 ppb.
[13] A flavoring composition for extending the duration of flavor that lingers after drinking a mixed liquor containing components derived from plum or apricot, comprising at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14 to C18 lactone and gamma-C14 to C18 lactone.
[14]
The fragrance composition according to [13], comprising at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetralactone, γ-hexalactone, and γ-octadecalactone.
[15] The flavoring composition according to [14] or [15], for adjusting the concentration of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, γ-octadecalactone, or a combination thereof in the mixed liquor to 2 to 1,000 ppb.
[16] The fragrance composition according to [15], wherein the concentration is 2 to 250 ppb.

According to the present invention, the duration of the flavor (preferably the mouth aroma) that remains after drinking (i.e., after swallowing) in a beverage containing ingredients derived from plum or apricot can be extended.

Specific Description of the Invention

Lactones In the present invention, long-chain lactones having 14 to 18 carbon atoms and a 6-membered heterocyclic ring (i.e., δ-C14-C18 lactones) and long-chain lactones having 14 to 18 carbon atoms and a 5-membered heterocyclic ring (i.e., γ-C14-C18 lactones) are used as lactones (hereinafter, these long-chain lactones are also collectively referred to as "C14-C18 lactones").

As the δ-C14 to C18 lactone, both even- and odd-numbered carbon lactones can be used, but lactones with even carbon numbers are preferred, i.e., δ-C14 lactone, δ-C16 lactone, and δ-C18 lactone. In a preferred embodiment, δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, and δ-octadecalactone are used as the δ-C14 lactone, δ-C16 lactone, and δ-C18 lactone, respectively. As the γ-C14 to C18 lactone, both even- and odd-numbered carbon lactones can be used, but lactones with even carbon numbers are preferred, i.e., γ-C14 lactone, γ-C16 lactone, and γ-C18 lactone. In a preferred embodiment, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone are used as the γ-C14 lactone, γ-C16 lactone, and γ-C18 lactone, respectively. These C14 to C18 lactones may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Therefore, in one preferred embodiment, the C14 to C18 lactone is one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof.

In another preferred embodiment, the C14-C18 lactone used in the present invention is at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof.

As described in JP 2011-083264 A, commercially available products may be used to obtain δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, and δ-octadecalactone. They can also be synthesized by known methods, such as cyclizing 5-hydroxyalkanoic acid with acid or lactonizing 2-alkylpentadecanone via Baeyer-Villiger oxidation. As described in JP 2019-097562 A, γ-octadecalactone can also be obtained by commercially available products or synthesized by known methods. For example, known methods for synthesizing γ-lactones include a radical reaction between methyl acrylate and pentadecanol using a radical initiator, followed by a cyclization reaction, and a method of hydroxylating unsaturated fatty acids and then cyclizing them. These known methods can also be used to synthesize γ-tetradecalactone and γ-hexadecalactone. They can also be obtained by commercially available products or synthesized by known methods. The lactone may also be a combination of δ-octadecalactone and γ-octadecalactone. Raw materials containing these lactones may also be used as the C14 to C18 lactone of the present invention.

Beverages containing plum or apricot-derived ingredients of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "beverages of the present invention") contain at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14 to C18 lactones and gamma-C14 to C18 lactones. The present invention is advantageous in that adjusting the total concentration of C14 to C18 lactones in the beverage within a predetermined range further extends the duration of the flavor that lingers after drinking. Such beverages can be produced by adjusting the concentration of C14 to C18 lactones during the production process of the beverage containing C14 to C18 lactones. The concentration of C14 to C18 lactones may be adjusted by adding the C14 to C18 lactones themselves, or by blending a raw material containing C14 to C18 lactones, or by increasing or decreasing the amount of such raw material blended. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the present invention comprises one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof.

In another preferred embodiment, the beverage of the present invention comprises at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone.

The concentration of C14-C18 lactones in the beverage of the present invention is, for example, 1 to 1,000 ppb, preferably 1.5 to 1,000 ppb, more preferably 2 to 1,000 ppb, even more preferably 2 to 300 ppb, even more preferably 2 to 250 ppb, and even more preferably 8 to 250 ppb. Here, "ppb" refers to parts per billion, and 1 ppb corresponds to 1 μg/L. The concentration of C14 to C18 lactones in the beverage of the present invention refers to the concentration of the C14 to C18 lactone when the beverage of the present invention contains only one type of C14 to C18 lactone. However, when the beverage of the present invention contains multiple types of C14 to C18 lactones (e.g., multiple lactones selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-pentadecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone), the concentration refers to the total concentration of the multiple types of C14 to C18 lactones. C14 to C18 lactones in beverages can be detected or their concentrations measured appropriately using methods known to those skilled in the art. Such detection or measurement can be carried out, for example, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which can be easily performed using commercially available equipment. The above measurement can be performed, for example, by loading the sample into an MPS autosampler (Gestell) and introducing it into a GC-MS 7890 (Agilent Technologies) or 5975C inert XL MSD (Agilent Technologies) using the DHS (Dynamic HeadSpace) method. Furthermore, for more accurate concentration measurements, it is desirable to use a calibration curve created based on the measurements of several standard solutions or control samples with known concentrations.

The beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it contains components derived from plums or apricots, and may be either an alcoholic beverage or a non-alcoholic beverage. Here, "alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage with an alcohol content of 1% or more that is considered an alcoholic beverage under the Liquor Tax Act. Furthermore, "non-alcoholic beverage" refers to a beverage with an alcohol content of less than 1% that is not considered an alcoholic beverage under the Liquor Tax Act. Among "non-alcoholic beverages," beverages that contain no alcohol at all, i.e., beverages with an alcohol content of 0% v/v, can be specifically described as "completely alcohol-free beverages." Examples of non-alcoholic beverages of the present invention include chuhai-like beverages, cocktail-like beverages, wine-like beverages, and other beverages that can be used as substitutes for alcoholic beverages. Furthermore, non-alcoholic beverages of the present invention also include soft drinks such as fruit juices and carbonated drinks, as well as tea beverages.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an alcoholic beverage containing C14-C18 lactones includes a "mixed alcoholic beverage containing plum- or apricot-derived ingredients." Here, "mixed alcoholic beverage" refers to all alcoholic beverages that are not brewed or distilled alcoholic beverages (such as chuhai, RTD, RTS, infused alcoholic beverages, liqueurs, and spirits), and includes "mixed alcoholic beverages" under the Liquor Tax Act. Examples of such mixed alcoholic beverages include alcoholic beverages made by adding plum- or apricot-derived ingredients (such as fruit juice containing these ingredients) to brewed or distilled alcoholic beverages, along with sugars, acidulants, flavorings, colorings, etc.

According to a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, "mixed alcoholic beverages containing components derived from plums or apricots" include "mixed alcoholic beverages made from plums or apricots." Examples of such mixed alcoholic beverages include alcoholic beverages made from brewed or distilled plums or apricots, with the extract and/or flavor of the plums extracted by steeping or other methods, and sugars, flavorings, colorings, and the like added. Therefore, specific examples of "mixed alcoholic beverages made from plums or apricots" include plum wine, apricot wine, almond wine, and amaretto.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the beverage containing at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-C14-C18 lactone and γ-C14-C18 lactone may be a beverage made from peaches (e.g., a mixed liquor).

In the present invention, "umeshu" refers to a type of liqueur defined in Article 3, Paragraph 21 of the Liquor Tax Act (Act No. 6 of 1953), which contains ingredients derived from plums. Such umeshu preferably contains sugars and other ingredients in addition to alcohol.

The alcohol in the plum wine of the present invention can be provided by blending an ethanol-containing material. The ethanol-containing material can be raw material alcohol or distilled spirits, with preferred examples of distilled spirits including vodka, gin, shochu, tequila, rum, brandy, and whiskey. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the alcohol source is raw material alcohol, shochu, brandy, or gin, and more preferably raw material alcohol, shochu, or brandy.

The sugars used in the plum wine of the present invention are not particularly limited, and any suitable sugar can be used, such as monosaccharides (e.g., fructose, glucose), disaccharides (e.g., sucrose, lactose), oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Specific examples include rock sugar, sugar, isomerized sugar, liquid sugar, brown sugar, and brown sugar.

The plum wine of the present invention may contain other ingredients used in the production of plum wine. Examples of such other ingredients include sweeteners (e.g., sugar alcohols, high-intensity sweeteners, honey, etc.), acidulants (e.g., phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, or salts thereof), coloring agents, flavorings, and food additives (e.g., foaming and foam retention enhancers, bittering agents, preservatives, antioxidants, thickening stabilizers, emulsifiers, dietary fiber, pH adjusters, etc.).

The apricot liqueur, almond liqueur, and amaretto of the present invention are similar to plum liqueur, except that apricots are used as raw materials.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the hybrid liquor includes the following fruit juice-containing hybrid liquor.
To pure water, add 10% (v/v) of plum, apricot, peach, or other fruit juice, 20% (w/v) of high-fructose corn syrup, 2% (w/v) of an acidulant (citric acid and/or malic acid), 1.5% (w/v) of a flavoring, and 5% (v/v) of a 50% (v/v) alcoholic starting material. Furthermore, add δ-hexadecalactone to a concentration of 100 ppb to obtain a liqueur.

The hybrid liquor of the present invention is preferably provided as a bottled beverage. The container used may be any container normally used for filling hybrid liquor, such as a metal can, a barrel, a plastic bottle (e.g., a PET bottle or cup), a paper container, a bottle, or a pouch container, but paper containers, metal cans/barrels, plastic bottles (e.g., a PET bottle), or bottles are preferred.

Beverage Production Method The beverage of the present invention can be produced according to a conventional beverage production method, except that the concentration of at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-C14 to C18 lactones and γ-C14 to C16 lactones is adjusted, for example, as described above, to contain the lactone in the beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the beverage produced by the production method of the present invention contains at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone. In another preferred embodiment, the production method of the present invention contains at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone.

In one preferred embodiment, the production method of the present invention includes adjusting the concentration of one or a combination of two or more selected from the group consisting of δ-C14 to C18 lactones and γ-C14 to C16 lactones to 2 to 1,000 ppb, particularly preferably 2 to 250 ppb. In an even more preferred embodiment, the production method of the present invention includes adjusting the concentration of one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof, to 2 to 1,000 ppb, particularly preferably 2 to 250 ppb.

In another preferred embodiment, the production method of the present invention includes adjusting the concentration of one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof, to 2 to 1,000 ppb, particularly preferably 2 to 250 ppb.

In the flavor composition of the present invention, by adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-C14 to C18 lactones and γ-C14 to C18 lactones to a beverage (e.g., a blended liquor) made from plum or apricot, the duration of the flavor lingering after drinking the beverage can be extended. Therefore, according to another aspect of the present invention, a composition comprising at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-C14 to C18 lactones and γ-C14 to C18 lactones can be provided as a flavor composition for extending the duration of the flavor lingering after drinking a beverage containing components derived from plum or apricot. In a preferred embodiment, the flavor composition of the present invention comprises at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone. In another preferred embodiment, the fragrance composition of the present invention comprises one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof.

The content of at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-C14 to C18 lactones and γ-C14 to C18 lactones in the fragrance composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 0.1 to 100% by mass, preferably 50 to 100% by mass, and more preferably 80 to 100% by mass. In one preferred embodiment, the fragrance composition of the present invention comprises one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof, in an amount within the above range. In another preferred embodiment, the fragrance composition of the present invention comprises one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof, in an amount within the above range. In terms of storage stability and other factors, the fragrance composition of the present invention can be stored or used by adding a preservative whose safety as a food product has been confirmed, such as water, ethanol, glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, or a mixture thereof.

By adding the flavor composition of the present invention to a beverage containing ingredients derived from plum or apricot, the duration of the flavor that lingers after drinking the beverage can be extended. Therefore, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage containing ingredients derived from plum or apricot, comprising the flavor composition of the present invention. Such a beverage can be produced by adding the flavor composition of the present invention to the ingredients of the beverage.

The content (i.e., amount added) of the flavoring composition of the present invention in a beverage is not particularly limited and can be determined appropriately by those skilled in the art depending on the type of beverage (e.g., hybrid alcoholic beverage), the desired degree of elongation effect, etc. Those skilled in the art can find the optimal amount of flavoring composition for a particular beverage by actually preparing beverage samples containing the flavoring composition of the present invention at various concentrations and confirming the desired effect for each sample.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the content or amount of the flavoring composition of the present invention in a beverage containing plum or apricot-derived ingredients is not particularly limited, and the content of one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14 to C18 lactones and gamma-C14 to C18 lactones, or a combination of two or more thereof, relative to the total volume of the beverage can be contained or added in the same amount as described above. Therefore, it is preferred that one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14 to C18 lactones and gamma-C14 to C18 lactones, or a combination of two or more thereof, is contained in the flavoring composition of the present invention in the amount described above. In one preferred embodiment, a flavoring composition containing one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-tetradecalactone, delta-hexadecalactone, delta-octadecalactone, gamma-tetradecalactone, gamma-hexadecalactone, and gamma-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof, is added to a beverage containing plum or apricot-derived ingredients. In another preferred embodiment, a flavoring composition containing one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof, is added to a beverage containing a component derived from plum or apricot.

Method for extending the duration of flavor lingering after drinking a beverage According to the present invention, by adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14 to C18 lactone and gamma-C14 to C18 lactone to a beverage (e.g., a blended alcoholic beverage) made from plum or apricot, the duration of flavor lingering after drinking the beverage can be extended. Therefore, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for extending the duration of flavor lingering after drinking a beverage made from plum or apricot, the method comprising adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-C14 to C18 lactone and gamma-C14 to C18 lactone to the beverage. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage containing a component derived from plum or apricot contains one lactone selected from the group consisting of delta-tetradecalactone, delta-hexadecalactone, delta-octadecalactone, gamma-tetradecalactone, gamma-hexadecalactone, and gamma-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the beverage containing a component derived from plum or apricot contains one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone and γ-octadecalactone, or a combination of two or more thereof.

All of the above flavor compositions and stretching methods can be carried out in accordance with the description of the beverage or beverage manufacturing method of the present invention.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below using test examples and production examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the examples, "%" means "% by mass" unless otherwise specified. Evaluations for each test were performed independently. Furthermore, the units and measurement methods used in the present invention follow JIS regulations unless otherwise specified.

In the following test examples, sensory evaluation was performed as follows:

Test Example 1: Sensory evaluation 1 of plum wine products (samples A and B) containing various lactones
1. Samples Samples A and B containing the following lactones were used. Samples A and B were prepared by diluting commercially available plum wine twice with water.

2. Lactones The following lactones were used:
δ-Tetradecalactone: δ-Tetradecalactone (purity: 98.0%) (manufactured by Soda Fragrance Co., Ltd.)
δ-Hexadecalactone: δ-Hexadecalactone (purity: 98.0%) (manufactured by Soda Fragrance Co., Ltd.)
δ-Octadecalactone: δ-Octadecalactone (purity: 75.0%) (specifically, a mixture of δ-octadecalactone (75.0%) and γ-octadecalactone (25.0%)) (manufactured by Soda Fragrance Co., Ltd.)
γ-Decalactone: γ-decalactone (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
The lactones were weighed, dissolved in ethanol, and added to Samples A and B so that the concentrations of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, and γ-decalactone were each 100 ppb.

3. Evaluation Method The sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of eight plum wine experts who had passed the certification test based on ISO 9000 and had at least five years of practical experience in plum wine production.
For the sensory evaluation, 7 mL of the sample was placed in the mouth, swallowed after 3 seconds, and the time until the flavor disappeared was measured with a stopwatch as the duration of the flavor.
The test areas are as follows:
Test area 1: No addition area Test area 2: γ-decalactone 100 ppb added area Test area 3: δ-tetradecalactone 100 ppb added area Test area 4: δ-hexadecalactone 100 ppb added area Test area 5: δ-octadecalactone 100 ppb added area

4. Results For Sample A to which lactone was added, the difference between the flavor duration in the lactone-added plots (test plots 2 to 5) and the flavor duration in the non-added plot (test plot 1) (flavor duration in the lactone-added plot - flavor duration in the non-added plot) is shown in Table 1.

For Sample B to which lactone was added, the difference between the flavor duration in the lactone-added plots (test plots 2 to 5) and the flavor duration in the non-added plot (test plot 1) (flavor duration in lactone-added plot - flavor duration in non-added plot) is shown in Table 2.

For both Samples A and B, in all test plots 3 to 5, the duration of the flavor after drinking the sample was extended compared to test plot 1. Furthermore, in all test plots 3 to 5, the average duration of the flavor after drinking the sample was extended compared to the average value for test plot 2 (gamma-decalactone 100 ppb added). In test plot 2 (gamma-decalactone 100 ppb added), the duration of the flavor was extended and a strong peach-like aroma also remained.

Test Example 2: Investigation of the concentration of δ-hexadecalactone in a plum wine product (sample A) 1. Sample Sample A containing added δ-hexadecalactone was used as the sample. Sample A was the same as in Test Example 1.

2. Lactone As the lactone, δ-hexadecalactone of Test Example 1 was used.
The above lactones were weighed, dissolved in ethanol, and added to Sample A so that the concentrations of δ-hexadecalactone were 1.96, 3.92, 4.9, 9.8, 49, 98, 245, 294, and 980 ppb.

3. Evaluation Method The sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Test Example 1.
The test areas are as follows:
Test plot 7: No addition Test plot 8: δ-hexadecalactone added at 1.96 ppb Test plot 9: δ-hexadecalactone added at 3.92 ppb Test plot 10: δ-hexadecalactone added at 4.9 ppb Test plot 11: δ-hexadecalactone added at 9.8 ppb Test plot 12: δ-hexadecalactone added at 49 ppb Test plot 13: δ-hexadecalactone added at 98 pb Test plot 14: δ-hexadecalactone added at 245 ppb Test plot 15: δ-hexadecalactone added at 294 ppb Test plot 16: δ-hexadecalactone added at 980 ppb

4. Results The difference between the flavor duration in the lactone-added plots (test plots 8 to 16) and the flavor duration in the non-added plot (test plot 7) (flavor duration in the lactone-added plot - flavor duration in the non-added plot) is shown in Table 3.

In all test plots 8 to 16 (addition of 1.96 to 980 ppb of δ-hexadecalactone), the duration of the flavor after drinking the sample was extended compared to test plot 7. Based on the results of the sensory evaluation, from the perspective of extending the duration of the flavor after drinking the sample, the concentration of δ-hexadecalactone is considered to be preferably 1 to 1000 ppb, more preferably 1.5 to 1000 ppb, even more preferably 2 to 1000 ppb, even more preferably 2 to 300 ppb, even more preferably 2 to 250 ppb, and even more preferably 8 to 250 ppb.

Test Example 3: Sensory evaluation 2 of plum wine products (sample B) containing various lactones
1. Samples Sample B was used as the sample, to which each of the following lactones was added. Here, Sample B was the same as in Test Example 1.

2. Lactones The following lactones were used:
δ-Hexadecalactone: δ-Hexadecalactone (purity: 98.0%) (manufactured by Soda Fragrance Co., Ltd.)
γ-Tetradecalactone: γ-tetradecalactone (purity: 95.8%) (manufactured by Soda Fragrance Co., Ltd.)
γ-Hexadecalactone: γ-hexadecalactone (purity: 97.0%) (manufactured by Soda Fragrance Co., Ltd.)
γ-Decalactone: γ-decalactone (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
The lactones were weighed, dissolved in ethanol, and added to Sample B so that the concentrations of δ-hexadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and γ-decalactone were each 100 ppb.

3. Evaluation Method A sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel of six plum wine experts using the same method as in Test Example 1. The test groups were as follows:
Test plot 17: No addition plot Test plot 18: γ-decalactone 100 ppb added plot Test plot 19: δ-hexadecalactone 100 ppb added plot Test plot 20: γ-tetradecalactone 100 ppb added plot Test plot 21: γ-hexadecalactone 100 ppb added plot

4. Results For Sample B to which lactone was added, the difference between the flavor duration in the lactone-added plots (test plots 18 to 21) and the flavor duration in the non-added plot (test plot 17) (flavor duration in the lactone-added plot - flavor duration in the non-added plot) is shown in Table 4.

In Sample B, the duration of the flavor after drinking the sample was extended in all test plots 19-21 compared to test plot 17. Furthermore, it can be seen that the average duration of the flavor after drinking the sample was extended in all test plots 19-21 compared to the average value in test plot 18 (gamma-decalactone 100 ppb added). In test plot 18 (gamma-decalactone 100 ppb added), the flavor duration was extended and a strong peach-like aroma also remained.

Test Example 4: Investigation of the concentration of γ-tetradecalactone in plum wine product (sample B) 1. Samples Sample B, to which γ-tetradecalactone was added at various concentrations, was used as the sample. Here, sample B was the same as in Test Example 1.

2. Lactone As the lactone, γ-tetradecalactone of Test Example 3 was used.
The above lactones were weighed, dissolved in ethanol, and added to Sample B so that the concentrations of γ-tetradecalactone were 0.47, 1.89, 94.5, 250.5, 1039.6, and 2032.0 ppb, respectively.

3. Evaluation Method Sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Test Example 1 by a panel of six plum wine experts.
The test areas are as follows:
Test plot 22: No addition test plot Test plot 23: γ-tetradecalactone 0.47 ppb added test plot Test plot 24: γ-tetradecalactone 1.89 ppb added test plot Test plot 25: γ-tetradecalactone 94.5 ppb added test plot Test plot 26: γ-tetradecalactone 250.5 ppb added test plot Test plot 27: γ-tetradecalactone 1039.6 ppb added test plot Test plot 28: γ-tetradecalactone 2032.0 ppb added test plot

4. Results The difference between the flavor duration in the lactone-added plots (test plots 23 to 28) and the flavor duration in the non-added plot (test plot 22) (flavor duration in the lactone-added plot - flavor duration in the non-added plot) is shown in Table 5.

In all test plots 23 to 28 (gamma-tetradecalactone added at 0.47 to 2032.0 ppb), the duration of the flavor after drinking the sample was extended compared to test plot 22. Based on the results of the sensory evaluation, from the perspective of extending the duration of the flavor after drinking the sample, the concentration of gamma-tetradecalactone is considered to be preferably 0.1 to 2500 ppb, more preferably 1 to 2200 ppb, even more preferably 1.5 to 2200 ppb, even more preferably 2 to 2100 ppb, even more preferably 100 to 1200 ppb, and even more preferably 250 to 1100 ppb.

Test Example 5: Investigation of the concentration of γ-hexadecalactone in plum wine product (sample B) 1. Samples Sample B, to which γ-hexadecalactone was added at various concentrations, was used as the sample. Here, sample B was the same as in Test Example 1.

2. Lactone As the lactone, γ-hexadecalactone of Test Example 3 was used.
The above lactones were weighed, dissolved in ethanol, and added to Sample B so that the concentrations of γ-hexadecalactone were 0.49, 1.95, 97.7, 254.0, 1074.8, and 2051.9 ppb, respectively.

3. Evaluation Method The sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Test Example 1 by a panel of six plum wine experts.
The test areas are as follows:
Test plot 29: No addition test plot Test plot 30: γ-hexadecalactone 0.49 ppb added test plot Test plot 31: γ-hexadecalactone 1.95 ppb added test plot Test plot 32: γ-hexadecalactone 97.7 ppb added test plot Test plot 33: γ-hexadecalactone 254.0 ppb added test plot Test plot 34: γ-hexadecalactone 1074.8 ppb added test plot Test plot 35: γ-hexadecalactone 2051.9 ppb added test plot

4. Results The difference between the flavor duration in the lactone-added plots (test plots 30 to 35) and the flavor duration in the non-added plot (test plot 29) (flavor duration in the lactone-added plot - flavor duration in the non-added plot) is shown in Table 6.

In all test plots 30 to 35 (gamma-hexadecalactone added at 0.49 to 2051.9 ppb), the duration of flavor after drinking the sample was extended compared to test plot 29. Based on the results of the sensory evaluation, from the perspective of extending the duration of flavor after drinking the sample, the concentration of gamma-hexadecalactone is considered to be preferably 0.1 to 2500 ppb, more preferably 1 to 2200 ppb, even more preferably 1.5 to 2100 ppb, even more preferably 2 to 2000 ppb, even more preferably 50 to 1500 ppb, and even more preferably 90 to 1100 ppb.

Production Example 1: Preparation of fruit juice-containing blended liquor To pure water, 10% (v/v) of plum, apricot, or peach juice, 20% (w/v) of high-fructose corn syrup, 2% (w/v) of an acidulant (citric acid and/or malic acid), 1.5% (w/v) of a flavoring, and 5% (v/v) of a raw material alcohol with an alcohol concentration of 50% (v/v) were added. Furthermore, δ-hexadecalactone was added to a concentration of 100 ppb to prepare a liqueur.

Claims (8)

A plum liqueur comprising at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-C14 to C18 lactone and γ-C14 to C18 lactone,
comprising δ-hexadecalactone at a concentration of 1 to 1,000 ppb;
comprising gamma-tetradecalactone at a concentration of 0.1 to 2,500 ppb; or
The plum liqueur described above comprises gamma-hexadecalactone at a concentration of 0.1 to 2,500 ppb . The plum liquor according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetralactone, γ-hexalactone, γ-octadecalactone or a combination thereof is 2 to 1,000 ppb. The plum liqueur according to claim 2 , wherein the concentration is 2 to 250 ppb. The method comprises adding at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ -C14 to C18 lactone and γ-C14 to C18 lactone to plum liqueur ,
Adjusting the concentration of δ-hexadecalactone to 1 to 1,000 ppb;
Adjusting the concentration of gamma-tetradecalactone to 0.1 to 2,500 ppb, or
Adjust the concentration of gamma-hexadecalactone to 0.1 to 2,500 ppb.
A method for producing plum wine comprising the steps of : The method according to claim 4 , wherein the concentration of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, γ-octadecalactone, or a combination thereof in the plum liqueur is 2 to 1,000 ppb. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the concentration is 2 to 250 ppb. A method for extending the duration of the flavor of plum wine that remains after drinking the plum wine , comprising:
and containing at least one lactone selected from the group consisting of δ-C14 to C18 lactones and γ-C14 to C18 lactones in the plum liqueur ,
Adjusting the concentration of δ-hexadecalactone to 1 to 1,000 ppb;
Adjusting the concentration of gamma-tetradecalactone to 0.1 to 2,500 ppb, or
Adjust the concentration of gamma-hexadecalactone to 0.1 to 2,500 ppb.
The method comprising : 8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the concentration of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, δ-octadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, γ-octadecalactone, or a combination thereof in the plum liqueur is 2 to 1,000 ppb.