JP7521659B1 - Unpleasant odor reducer - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a compound that reduces unpleasant odors in foods and beverages, and a method for improving the flavor of foods and beverages by using said compound to reduce unpleasant odors or inhibit deterioration of flavor over time.
[Solution] A method for improving the flavor of food and beverages, which uses carnitine as an active ingredient and increases the carnitine concentration in the food and beverage to suppress deterioration of flavor over time or reduce unpleasant odors; a method for suppressing deterioration of flavor of a coffee beverage over time, which adjusts the carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage to 2.0 μg/100 mL or more; and a coffee beverage which contains soluble coffee solids and carnitine, has a carnitine concentration of 2.0 μg/100 mL or more, and exhibits little change in flavor over time [Selected Figure] None

Description

The present invention relates to a method for improving the flavor of food and beverages by reducing unpleasant odors and inhibiting deterioration of flavor over time, and an agent for improving the flavor of food and beverages. In particular, the present invention relates to a coffee beverage with reduced unpleasant odors, and an instant coffee beverage composition for preparing the coffee beverage.

Coffee and tea are popular, everyday beverages, and many packaged beverages and instant beverage compositions that can be consumed by dissolving in water or other liquids are available on the market. However, coffee beans and tea leaves, which are the raw materials for beverages, are natural products, and their extracts contain not only the components that give the beverage its taste and aroma, but also off-flavor components that impair the flavor of the beverage. It is expected that the flavor of beverages can be improved by reducing the unpleasant odors caused by these off-flavor components.

In addition, in order to prevent quality deterioration during distribution in the market, heat sterilization is generally performed on packaged beverages and instant beverage compositions. This heat sterilization process may impart an unpleasant cooked odor. In particular, in the case of instant beverage compositions, heat treatment is also performed during the powdering process, making the cooked odor even more problematic.

Methods for reducing such unpleasant odors have been reported for various foods and beverages. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a coffee beverage in which the generation of a fermentation-like deterioration odor is suppressed can be produced by adding a coffee oil extract obtained by contacting coffee oil with propylene glycol or an aqueous solution thereof to a roasted coffee bean extract. Patent Document 2 also discloses a method for suppressing the deterioration of the flavor of foods and beverages caused by light, heat, air, enzymes, etc., by including one or more extracts of plants selected from the group consisting of banaba, guava, oak salicina, agrimony, plants of the rose family, cinnamon, and clove.

JP 2010-17126 A JP 2008-1727 A

The present invention aims to provide a compound that reduces unpleasant odors in foods and beverages, a method for improving the flavor of foods and beverages by using the compound to reduce unpleasant odors or inhibit deterioration of flavor over time, a coffee beverage in which the unpleasant odor has been reduced using the compound, and an instant coffee beverage composition that can be used to easily prepare the coffee beverage by simply dissolving the coffee beverage in a liquid such as water.

As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the inventors discovered that adding a certain amount of carnitine to a coffee beverage reduces unpleasant odors and inhibits deterioration of flavor over time, and thus completed the present invention. That is, the present invention is as follows.

[1] An unpleasant odor reducing agent, characterized in that carnitine is used as an active ingredient.
[2] A method for improving the flavor of a food or drink, comprising increasing the carnitine concentration in the food or drink, thereby suppressing deterioration of flavor over time or reducing unpleasant odors.
[3] The method for improving the flavor of a food or drink according to [2] above, which comprises adding carnitine as a raw material to the food or drink.
[4] The method for improving a flavor of a food or drink according to [2] or [3] above, wherein the food or drink is a beverage.
[5] The method for improving the flavor of a food or beverage according to [2] or [3], wherein the food or beverage is made from milk.
[6] A method for suppressing deterioration of the flavor of a coffee beverage over time, comprising adjusting the carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage to 2.0 μg/100 mL or more.
[7] A method for producing a coffee brewing product comprising the steps of:
The coffee beverage is characterized by having a carnitine concentration of 2.0 μg/100 mL or more and exhibiting little change in flavor over time.
[8] A method for producing a coffee brewing product comprising the steps of:
A coffee beverage, characterized in that the beverage has a carnitine concentration of 0.5 mg/100 mL or more.
[9] A composition for an instant coffee beverage for preparing a coffee beverage having a flavor that changes little over time by mixing with a liquid, comprising:
Contains soluble coffee solids and carnitine;
An instant coffee beverage composition, comprising a carnitine content in an amount such that a carnitine concentration in a coffee beverage obtained by mixing the instant coffee beverage composition with a liquid is 2.0 μg/100 mL or more.
[10] An instant coffee beverage composition for mixing with a liquid to prepare a coffee beverage, comprising:
Contains soluble coffee solids and carnitine;
An instant coffee beverage composition comprising a carnitine content in an amount such that a carnitine concentration in a coffee beverage obtained by mixing the instant coffee beverage composition with a liquid is 0.5 mg/100 mL or more.

The present invention can provide foods and beverages with improved flavors by reducing unpleasant odors and reducing changes in flavor over time. The present invention can provide coffee beverages with improved flavors and high palatability, as well as instant beverage compositions that can easily prepare such coffee beverages.

In the present invention and this specification, the term "instant beverage composition" refers to a composition that can be dissolved, diluted, or dispersed in an edible liquid to prepare a beverage. In the present invention and this specification, the term "instant coffee beverage composition" (sometimes abbreviated as "IC beverage composition") refers to a composition that can be dissolved, diluted, or dispersed in an edible liquid to prepare a coffee beverage. In the present invention and this specification, the term "instant non-solid food preparation composition" refers to a composition that can be dissolved, diluted, or dispersed in an edible liquid to prepare a non-solid food. The instant beverage composition, IC beverage composition, and instant non-solid food preparation composition may all be solids such as powders and granules, or non-solids such as liquids and pastes. Note that non-solids refer to fluid materials.

Examples of edible liquids that dissolve, dilute, or disperse instant beverage compositions include water, milk such as cow's milk, and vegetable milk.

In this invention and this specification, "powder" means a granular material (consisting of many solid particles with different size distributions, with some interaction between the individual particles). Also, "granules" are an aggregate of particles (granular granulated material) granulated from powder. Powder includes granules.

<Unpleasant odor reducing agent>
The unpleasant odor reducing agent according to the present invention contains carnitine as an active ingredient. By adding carnitine to a food or drink in an edible state, the unpleasant odor of the food or drink can be reduced. Carnitine as the active ingredient of the unpleasant odor reducing agent according to the present invention may be in the L-form, the D-form, or a racemic form.

The unpleasant odors that are reduced by the unpleasant odor reducer of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they are odors that are perceived as unpleasant by people who eat the food or drink. Examples of such unpleasant odors include odors that arise due to deterioration of the quality of food or drink, and odors that are imparted by heat treatment.

The carnitine used as the active ingredient of the unpleasant odor reducer can be a synthetic product or a refined product, and those with a low impurity content are more preferable, and commercially available products may be used as is. In addition, extracts extracted from natural products such as yeast and algae that contain carnitine may be used as the raw material for the unpleasant odor reducer of the present invention, and carnitine purified from these extracts can also be used as the active ingredient of the unpleasant odor reducer of the present invention.

Carnitine, which is an active ingredient of the unpleasant odor reducing agent according to the present invention, may be an edible salt or solvate. Examples of edible salts include salts of tartaric acid, fumaric acid, citric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid. Examples of solvates include solvates in which water, ethanol, etc. are used as the solvent.

The unpleasant odor reducing agent according to the present invention can be individually packaged in a small pouch or the like in the amount required for addition to one food or drink, or it can be packaged in a container such as a bottle in which several units are packaged together and supplied as a product, so that the agent can be shaken out of the container or taken out with a spoon when in use.

The individually packaged type is a stick-shaped aluminum pouch or a one-portion cup that is filled with the contents for one cup of coffee drink, and the contents can be removed by opening the container and pushing it out with your fingers. The individually packaged type has the advantage of being easy to handle and hygienic, as each serving is sealed.

<Method for improving the flavor of food and beverages>
The method for improving the flavor of a food or drink according to the present invention is characterized in that the carnitine concentration of the food or drink is increased to suppress deterioration of flavor over time or reduce unpleasant odors. By suppressing deterioration of flavor over time or reducing unpleasant odors, the flavor of the food or drink is improved.

The method for increasing the carnitine concentration in food and beverages is not particularly limited. For example, the carnitine concentration in food and beverages can be increased to a desired level by including carnitine as a raw material, i.e., adding carnitine itself or an edible composition containing a large amount of carnitine as a carnitine-containing additive. As the carnitine-containing additive, for example, the unpleasant odor reducing agent according to the present invention can be used.

In the case of foods and beverages made from food ingredients containing carnitine, the carnitine concentration of the foods and beverages can be increased by increasing the amount of the food ingredient contained in the foods and beverages, or by selecting and using food ingredients with a relatively high carnitine content from among food ingredients of the same type. For example, coffee extracts (hot water extracts of roasted coffee beans) generally contain very little carnitine, but coffee extracts with a relatively high carnitine content can be prepared by adjusting the variety, place of origin, cultivation method, post-harvest storage conditions, roasting method, extraction method, etc. Thus, by selecting and using coffee extracts with a relatively high carnitine concentration as a raw material, it is possible to produce coffee beverages with improved flavor by increasing the carnitine concentration, and instant coffee beverage compositions for preparing such coffee beverages.

The carnitine concentration of food or beverages that is increased to obtain the effect of suppressing the deterioration of flavor over time by increasing the carnitine concentration is not particularly limited as long as the increase in concentration is sufficient to obtain the effect, and can be appropriately determined taking into consideration the type of food or beverage and the carnitine concentration before flavor improvement. The higher the carnitine concentration in the food or beverage, the stronger the effect of suppressing the deterioration of flavor over time. For example, by increasing the carnitine content of the food or beverage so as to increase the carnitine concentration of the food or beverage by 2.0 μg/100 mL or more, more preferably 4.0 μg/100 mL or more, and even more preferably 10.0 μg/100 mL or more, the deterioration of flavor over time can be sufficiently suppressed.

By increasing the carnitine concentration, in addition to suppressing the deterioration of flavor over time, an unpleasant odor reduction effect can also be obtained. The higher the carnitine concentration in a food or beverage, the stronger the unpleasant odor reduction effect. The amount of carnitine added to a food or beverage as an unpleasant odor reduction agent is not particularly limited, so long as the carnitine concentration in the food or beverage is sufficient to achieve the unpleasant odor reduction effect. For example, since a sufficient unpleasant odor reduction effect is easily achieved, the carnitine concentration in the food or beverage is preferably 0.5 mg/100 mL or more, more preferably 1.0 mg/100 mL or more, and even more preferably 2.0 mg/100 mL or more.

Since carnitine has little effect on the taste of food and beverages, there is no particular upper limit for the amount of carnitine contained in food and beverages. In the method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to the present invention, taking into account costs and other factors, the carnitine concentration of the food and beverages in which the carnitine concentration has been increased is preferably 10 g/100 mL or less, more preferably 5 g/100 mL or less, and even more preferably 2.5 g/100 mL or less.

The carnitine concentration in foods, beverages, etc. can be measured, for example, by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS).

There are no particular limitations on the foods and beverages whose flavor is improved by increasing the carnitine concentration, but since carnitine can be sufficiently dispersed throughout the food and beverage even when a carnitine-containing additive such as the unpleasant odor reducer according to the present invention is added in an edible state, it is preferable for the food and beverage to be a non-solid with fluidity, and more preferably a liquid. Such foods and beverages also include food and beverage ingredients such as seasonings and milk ingredients.

Specific examples of non-solid foods and beverages include beverages such as beverages for leisure, fruit juice drinks, soft drinks, lactic acid bacteria drinks, milk drinks, and vegetable milk drinks; soups such as consommé soup, potage soup, cream soup, miso soup, clear soup, and dashi soup; and seasonings such as dressings and nut paste. The beverages for leisure refer to tea beverages such as black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and matcha, herbal tea, coffee beverages, cocoa, and mixtures of these beverages. Ingredients for herbal tea include hibiscus, rose hips, peppermint, chamomile, lemongrass, lemon balm, and lavender. These foods and beverages can be produced by conventional methods.

The food or beverage whose flavor is improved by increasing the carnitine concentration may be a composition for an instant beverage or a composition for preparing an instant non-solid food. The instant beverage composition or the composition for preparing an instant non-solid food may be a solid composition such as a powder, or may be a liquid composition. The instant beverage composition may be produced by a conventional method from various raw materials containing the soluble solids of the beverage to be produced. Similarly, the instant non-solid food composition may be produced by a conventional method from various raw materials containing the soluble solids of the non-solid food to be produced. In the method for improving the flavor of a food or beverage according to the present invention, the food or beverage whose carnitine concentration is increased is preferably a composition for an instant favorite beverage or a composition for instant soups.

The soluble solids of a beverage are soluble solids extracted from beverage ingredients such as roasted coffee beans and tea leaves. The soluble solids of a beverage that are the raw materials for beverages and instant beverage compositions may be liquid or powdered. Specific examples of powdered soluble solids include soluble coffee solids powder (instant coffee powder), soluble black tea solids powder (instant black tea powder, the same applies below), instant green tea powder, instant oolong tea powder, instant herbal tea powder, and mixed powders of two or more of these.

The powdered soluble solids of the beverage can be produced by a conventional method, and commercially available products may be used. For example, the soluble solids of a coffee beverage (soluble coffee solids) can be obtained by preparing a coffee extract from roasted coffee beans, i.e., an extract in which the soluble coffee solids are dissolved, and drying the resulting extract. The powdered soluble solids of a tea beverage can be obtained by extracting the soluble solids from tea leaves such as black tea leaves, green tea leaves (fresh tea leaves), and oolong tea leaves using hot water, and drying the resulting extract. Instant herbal tea powder can be obtained by extracting the soluble solids from herbal raw materials using hot water, and drying the resulting extract.

As raw materials for beverages such as coffee beans and tea leaves, those generally used for beverages can be used. Methods for drying the obtained extract include freeze drying, spray drying, vacuum drying, and the like. In addition, the extract from tea leaves or coffee beans may be concentrated as necessary before drying. Such concentration methods can be carried out by commonly used concentration methods such as thermal concentration methods, freeze concentration methods, and membrane concentration methods using reverse osmosis membranes, ultrafiltration membranes, and the like.

When the beverage of choice is a coffee beverage, the coffee extract extracted from roasted coffee beans may be used as is as the raw material, or instant coffee powder obtained by powdering only the soluble coffee solids from the extract may be used as the raw material. When instant coffee powder is used as the raw material, the powder may be used as is, or an aqueous solution prepared by dissolving it in a liquid such as water may be used as the raw material. For example, the carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage can be increased by changing the raw coffee extract from one with a relatively low carnitine content to one with a relatively high carnitine content.

When the coffee extract is used as it is as the raw material, it can be produced, for example, by adding other raw materials as necessary to a coffee extract extracted from roasted coffee beans with hot water. The roasting of the raw coffee beans and the hot water extraction from the roasted coffee beans can be appropriately selected from various known extraction methods, such as a drip method using paper or flannel, a method using steam pressure such as a siphon or percolator, a high-pressure extraction method using an espresso machine, the French press method, the Aeropress method, and high-temperature and high-pressure extraction methods such as a multi-stage extraction method or a countercurrent continuous extraction method.

The soluble solid content of soups can be prepared by removing water from soups and concentrating the soups, and then drying the soups. Soups can be concentrated by commonly used methods such as heat concentration, freeze concentration, and membrane concentration using reverse osmosis membranes, ultrafiltration membranes, etc. Methods for drying soups and their concentrates include freeze drying, spray drying, and vacuum drying. As the soluble solid content of soups, commercially available instant soup compositions may be used as they are.

When the food or drink whose flavor is improved by increasing the carnitine concentration is an instant beverage composition or an instant non-solid food preparation composition, the carnitine-containing additive such as the unpleasant odor reducer according to the present invention may be directly mixed into the instant beverage composition or instant non-solid food preparation composition, and then mixed with a liquid to prepare an instant beverage or instant non-solid food. Alternatively, the instant beverage composition or instant non-solid food preparation composition may be mixed with a liquid to prepare an instant beverage or instant non-solid food, and the carnitine-containing additive may be added to the obtained instant beverage or the like. The instant beverage or instant non-solid food prepared by mixing the instant beverage composition or instant non-solid food preparation composition with a liquid may be stored for a predetermined period of time, and then the carnitine-containing additive may be added before consumption.

By applying the method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to the present invention to a coffee beverage, it is possible to produce a coffee beverage that contains soluble coffee solids and carnitine and in which deterioration of flavor over time is suppressed. For example, in the case of a coffee beverage, deterioration occurs over time as the storage period becomes longer, and the coffee-like aromas such as roasted aroma and sweet aroma decrease, while unpleasant odors and astringency increase. By applying the method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to the present invention to a coffee beverage, such deterioration of flavor over time is suppressed, and a coffee beverage with little change in flavor over time and high storage stability is obtained.

The carnitine concentration of a coffee beverage in which the deterioration of flavor over time is suppressed by increasing the carnitine concentration is preferably 2.0 μg/100 mL or more, more preferably 4.0 μg/100 mL or more, and even more preferably 10.0 μg/100 mL or more. The carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage is preferably 10 g/100 mL or less, more preferably 5 g/100 mL or less, and even more preferably 2.5 g/100 mL or less.

By applying the method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to the present invention to a coffee beverage, a coffee beverage containing soluble coffee solids and carnitine and with reduced unpleasant odors can be produced. In a coffee beverage, examples of unpleasant odors that can be reduced by carnitine include the straw or hay-like odor that is characteristic of coffee beverages prepared from lightly roasted coffee beans; the odor reminiscent of burntness, bitterness, and roughness that is common in coffee beverages prepared from medium to dark roasted coffee beans; and the cooked odor that occurs during the heat treatment during production.

The carnitine concentration of a coffee beverage in which the unpleasant odor is reduced by increasing the carnitine concentration is preferably 0.5 mg/100 mL or more, more preferably 1.0 mg/100 mL or more, and even more preferably 2.0 mg/100 mL or more. The carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage is preferably 10 g/100 mL or less, more preferably 5 g/100 mL or less, and even more preferably 2.5 g/100 mL or less.

The coffee beverage produced by the method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to the present invention can be produced by conventional methods, except that the carnitine concentration is increased. For example, the coffee beverage produced by the method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to the present invention may contain components that are generally contained in coffee beverages, in addition to soluble coffee solids and carnitine. Such components include milk ingredients, sweeteners, flavorings, antioxidants, pH adjusters, thickeners, emulsifiers, etc.

The milk ingredient is an ingredient that imparts a milk flavor, and specific examples include milk, creaming powder (a powder added to coffee and other beverages as a substitute for cream), and vegetable milk. Only one type of these milk ingredients may be contained, or two or more types may be combined.

Examples of milk include whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, cow's milk, low-fat milk, concentrated milk, skim concentrated milk, unsweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened condensed skim milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, lactose, fresh cream, butter, etc. Note that whole milk powder and skim milk powder are made by removing moisture from cow's milk (whole milk) or skim milk by spray drying or the like, drying them, and powdering them.

Creaming powder can be produced by selecting, according to the desired quality characteristics, edible oils and fats such as coconut oil, hardened coconut oil, palm oil, hydrogenated palm oil, palm kernel oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, milk fat, beef tallow, lard, etc.; carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose, starch hydrolysates, etc.; other raw materials such as sodium caseinate, dibasic sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, skim milk powder, emulsifiers, etc., and mixing these raw materials in water, then forming an oil-in-water emulsion (O/W emulsion) using an emulsifier, etc., and then removing the water. As a method for removing the water, any method can be selected, such as spray drying, spray freezing, freeze drying, freeze pulverization, extrusion granulation, etc. The obtained creaming powder may be classified, granulated, pulverized, etc., as necessary.

Examples of plant-based milks include legume milk, nut milk, and grain milk. Examples of legume milks include soy milk, etc. Examples of nut milks include peanut milk, almond milk, walnut milk, pistachio milk, hazelnut milk, cashew nut milk, and pecan nut milk, etc. Examples of grain milks include rice milk and oat milk, etc. These milks and plant-based milks can be produced by conventional methods.

Sweeteners include sugars such as sucrose, oligosaccharides, glucose, fructose, and fructose glucose liquid sugar; sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, maltitol, erythritol, xylitol, and reduced starch syrup; high-intensity sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, neotame, advantame, and saccharin; and stevia. Sucrose may be granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or sucrose-type liquid sugar. Only one type of sweetener may be contained, or two or more types may be combined.

Flavors include coffee flavors, milk flavors, etc. Flavors that are generally added to flavored coffee, such as cinnamon, caramel, chocolate, and honey, are also preferably used.

Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (tocopherol), sodium erythorbate, sodium sulfite, sulfur dioxide, chlorogenic acid, and catechin.

Examples of pH adjusters include organic acids such as citric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and gluconic acid, inorganic acids such as phosphoric acid, potassium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate), and carbon dioxide.

Thickening agents include starch hydrolysates such as dextrin, sugars such as maltose and trehalose, resistant dextrin, dietary fibers such as pectin, guar gum and carrageenan, and proteins such as casein.

Examples of emulsifiers include glycerin fatty acid ester-based emulsifiers such as monoglyceride, diglyceride, organic acid monoglyceride, and polyglycerin ester; sorbitan fatty acid ester-based emulsifiers such as sorbitan monostearate and sorbitan monooleate; propylene glycol fatty acid ester-based emulsifiers such as propylene glycol monostearate, propylene glycol monopalmitate, and propylene glycol oleate; sugar ester-based emulsifiers such as sucrose stearate, sucrose palmitate, and sucrose oleate; and lecithin-based emulsifiers such as lecithin and lecithin enzyme hydrolysates.

By applying the flavor improving method for foods and beverages according to the present invention to an instant coffee beverage composition, an instant coffee beverage composition containing soluble coffee solids and carnitine is produced, and by dissolving the instant coffee beverage composition in an edible liquid such as water, a coffee beverage with little change in flavor over time is obtained. The carnitine content of the instant coffee beverage composition is preferably such that the carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage obtained by mixing the instant coffee beverage composition with a liquid is 2.0 μg/100 mL or more, more preferably 4.0 μg/100 mL or more, and even more preferably 10.0 μg/100 mL or more. The carnitine content of the instant coffee beverage composition is preferably such that the carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage obtained by mixing the instant coffee beverage composition with a liquid is 10 g/100 mL or less, more preferably 5 g/100 mL or less, and even more preferably 2.5 g/100 mL or less.

By applying the flavor improving method for foods and beverages according to the present invention to an instant coffee beverage composition, an instant coffee beverage composition containing soluble coffee solids and carnitine is produced, and by dissolving the instant coffee beverage composition in an edible liquid such as water, a coffee beverage with reduced unpleasant odor is obtained. The carnitine content of the instant coffee beverage composition is preferably such that the carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage obtained by mixing the instant coffee beverage composition with a liquid is 0.5 mg/100 mL or more, more preferably 1.0 mg/100 mL or more, and even more preferably 2.0 mg/100 mL or more. The carnitine content of the instant coffee beverage composition is preferably such that the carnitine concentration of the coffee beverage obtained by mixing the instant coffee beverage composition with a liquid is 10 g/100 mL or less, more preferably 5 g/100 mL or less, and even more preferably 2.5 g/100 mL or less.

The instant coffee beverage composition produced by the method for improving the flavor of food and beverage according to the present invention can be produced by a conventional method, except that carnitine is contained. The instant coffee beverage composition may be in powder form or liquid form. For example, the instant coffee beverage composition may contain, in addition to soluble coffee solids and carnitine, components that are generally contained in instant coffee beverage compositions depending on the desired quality characteristics. Such components include milk ingredients, sweeteners, flavorings, antioxidants, pH adjusters, thickeners, emulsifiers, excipients, binders, flow improvers, etc. As the milk ingredients, sweeteners, flavorings, antioxidants, pH adjusters, thickeners, emulsifiers, etc., those listed above can be used as appropriate.

Examples of the excipient and binder include starch hydrolysates such as dextrin, sugars such as maltose and trehalose, dietary fibers such as indigestible dextrin, proteins such as casein, etc. The excipient and binder are also used as carriers during granulation.
As the flow improver, processing preparations such as fine silicon oxide and tricalcium phosphate may be used.

The instant coffee beverage composition produced by the method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to the present invention can be individually packaged in a small pouch or the like so that a single serving is consumed, or the composition can be packaged in a container such as a bottle so that several servings are consumed by shaking the container or taking out the contents with a spoon when using the composition and then supplied as a commercial product.

The individually packaged type is a type in which the contents for one cup of coffee drink are filled and packaged in a stick-shaped aluminum pouch or a one-portion cup, and the contents can be removed by opening the container and pushing it out with a finger. The individually packaged type has the advantage that each cup is sealed and therefore easy to handle and hygienic.

The method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to the present invention is also useful for improving the flavor of milk ingredients. For example, by adding a carnitine-containing additive such as the unpleasant odor reducer according to the present invention to creaming powder or vegetable milk, it is possible to reduce unpleasant odors and inhibit deterioration of flavor over time. There are no particular limitations on the carnitine concentration to be increased in milk ingredients in order to obtain the effects of the present invention, and a flavor improving effect can be obtained by increasing the carnitine concentration to the same extent as in the case of coffee beverages and instant coffee beverage compositions.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples and reference examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

<Carnitine measurement>
The carnitine content in the coffee extract and coffee beverage was measured using a liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (Thermo Corp.). The amount of carnitine contained in the sample was calculated based on a calibration curve prepared from a standard carnitine product.

<Sensory evaluation>
A sensory evaluation was conducted on each coffee beverage for unpleasant odor, astringency, and deliciousness. The sensory evaluation was conducted by a trained panel of five experts, who jointly assigned scores on a 10-point scale (1 being the weakest and 10 being the strongest). Unless otherwise stated, the sensory evaluation score for each coffee beverage was set to 5 for coffee beverages without added carnitine.

For coffee beverages made with coffee extracts prepared from lightly roasted beans, the unpleasant odor was evaluated as being particularly unpleasant, especially the straw- or hay-like odor that is characteristic of lightly roasted beans. For coffee beverages made with coffee extracts prepared from medium- or dark-roasted beans, the unpleasant odor was evaluated as being particularly unpleasant, especially the odor reminiscent of burnt, bitter, or rough flavors. For instant coffee beverages, the unpleasant odor was evaluated as being particularly unpleasant, especially the cooked odor.

[Example 1]
Various concentrations of carnitine were added to coffee beverages to examine their effect on flavor.

The coffee extracts used as raw materials for the coffee beverage were a coffee extract (coffee extract A) prepared from lightly roasted Brazilian Arabica coffee beans, a coffee extract (coffee extract B) prepared from darkly roasted Vietnamese Canephora coffee beans, and a coffee extract (coffee extract C) prepared from medium-roasted blended coffee beans. When the carnitine content of these three types of coffee extracts was measured, all were below the measurement limit (5 ng/mL).

Coffee beverages were produced by adding carnitine to black coffee beverages consisting of each coffee extract alone so that the carnitine concentrations in the beverages were as shown in Tables 1 to 3.

Each of the produced coffee beverages was subjected to a sensory evaluation of unpleasant odor, astringency, and deliciousness. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 to 3.

As shown in Tables 1 to 3, in coffee beverages made from any of the coffee extracts, the unpleasant odor was reduced and the astringency was reduced depending on the carnitine concentration in the beverage, making it more delicious and improving the flavor. These results show that the unpleasant odor-reducing effect of carnitine is exerted regardless of the type of coffee extract used as the raw material.

[Example 2]
Various concentrations of carnitine were added to sweetened black coffee beverages to examine their effect on flavor.

The coffee extract used as the raw material for the coffee beverage was the coffee extract (coffee extract A) prepared from lightly roasted Brazilian Arabica coffee beans used in Example 1. A coffee beverage was produced by adding granulated sugar or aspartame and carnitine to coffee extract A so that the concentration of carnitine in the beverage was the concentration shown in Table 4.

Each of the produced coffee beverages was subjected to a sensory evaluation of unpleasant odor, astringency, and deliciousness. The evaluation results are shown in Table 4.

As shown in Table 4, even in black coffee beverages with added sweeteners, the addition of carnitine reduced unpleasant odors and astringency, making the beverage more delicious and improving its flavor, regardless of the type of sweetener used. These results demonstrate that the unpleasant odor-reducing effect of carnitine is exerted regardless of the presence or absence of a sweetener.

[Example 3]
Various concentrations of carnitine were added to a milk coffee beverage containing milk ingredients to examine its effect on flavor.

The coffee extract used as the raw material for the coffee beverage was the coffee extract (coffee extract A) prepared from lightly roasted Brazilian Arabica coffee beans used in Example 1. 67 mL of coffee extract A was mixed with 33 mL of milk or adjusted soy milk, and carnitine was added so that the carnitine concentration in the beverage was the concentration shown in Table 5 to produce a coffee beverage.

Each of the produced coffee beverages was subjected to a sensory evaluation of unpleasant odor, astringency, and deliciousness. The evaluation results are shown in Table 5.

As shown in Table 5, even in milk coffee beverages, regardless of the type of milk ingredient, the addition of carnitine reduced unpleasant odors and astringency, making the beverage more delicious and improving its flavor. These results demonstrate that carnitine's effect of reducing unpleasant odors is exerted regardless of whether milk ingredients are used.

Furthermore, when carnitine was added directly to the commercially available adjusted soy milk used to prepare the milk coffee beverage, the grassy smell characteristic of soy milk was weakened in a manner dependent on the amount of carnitine added. This demonstrated that carnitine's effect of reducing unpleasant odors is also effective against the grassy smell derived from soybeans and other legumes.

[Example 4]
Various concentrations of carnitine were added to instant coffee beverages to examine their effect on flavor.

The instant coffees used were instant coffee powder (IC-A) made by spray-drying coffee extract prepared from dark roasted Brazilian Arabica coffee beans, instant coffee powder (IC-B) made by freeze-drying coffee extract prepared from dark roasted Brazilian Arabica coffee beans, three types of commercially available instant coffee powder (IC-C, IC-D, IC-E), and a coffee beverage prepared from a commercially available coffee portion (IC-F). For IC-A to IC-E, 1.25 g of instant coffee powder was dissolved in 100 mL of hot water, and carnitine was added so that the carnitine concentration in the beverage was the concentration shown in Tables 6 to 10, to prepare an instant coffee beverage. For IC-F, 150 mL of water was poured into 17 g of coffee portion, and carnitine was added so that the carnitine concentration in the beverage was the concentration shown in Table 11, to prepare an instant coffee beverage.

Each instant coffee beverage produced was subjected to a sensory evaluation of unpleasant odor (particularly cooked odor), astringency, and taste. In the sensory evaluation, cooked odor was scored as 8 points for instant coffee beverage test 8-0, which was prepared from IC-A and contained no carnitine, and 4 points for instant coffee beverage test 9-0, which was prepared from IC-B and contained no carnitine. Astringency and taste were also scored as 5 points for instant coffee beverages prepared from the same instant coffee beverage composition but without added carnitine. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 6 to 11.

As shown in Tables 6 to 11, regardless of the type of instant coffee beverage composition, the addition of carnitine to instant coffee beverages reduced unpleasant odors, particularly cooked odors and astringency, making the beverage more delicious and improving its flavor. These results demonstrate that the unpleasant odor-reducing effect of carnitine is exerted regardless of the type of coffee extract used as the raw material or the manufacturing method.

Instant coffee beverages were also prepared by dissolving 1.25 g of IC-C and a sweetener (3 g of sucrose or 0.015 g of aspartame) in 100 mL of hot water, and then adding carnitine so that the carnitine concentration in the beverage was the concentration shown in Table 12. Each instant coffee beverage produced was subjected to a sensory evaluation of unpleasant odor (particularly cooked odor), astringency, and tastiness. The sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Test Plot 8-1.

As shown in Table 12, even in instant coffee drinks with added sweeteners, the addition of carnitine reduced unpleasant odors, particularly cooked odors and astringency, making the drink more delicious and improving its flavor, regardless of the type of sweetener used. These results demonstrate that carnitine's effect of reducing unpleasant odors is also evident in instant coffee drinks with added sweeteners.

Furthermore, instant coffee beverages were prepared by dissolving 1.25 g of IC-C in 100 mL of boiling water, mixing 67 mL of the resulting solution with 33 mL of milk or modified soy milk, and adding carnitine so that the carnitine concentration in the beverage would be the concentration shown in Table 13. Each instant coffee beverage produced was subjected to a sensory evaluation of unpleasant odor (particularly cooked odor), astringency, and palatability. The sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Test Plot 8-1.

As shown in Table 13, even in instant coffee beverages to which milk ingredients have been added, the addition of carnitine reduced unpleasant odors, particularly cooked odors and astringency, making the beverage more delicious and improving its flavor, regardless of the type of milk ingredient. These results demonstrate that the unpleasant odor-reducing effect of carnitine is also exhibited in instant coffee beverages to which milk ingredients have been added.

[Example 5]
Various concentrations of carnitine were added to creaming powder to examine the effect on flavor after long-term storage.

Three types of creaming powders (ICP-A to ICP-C) with different compositions were prepared from hydrogenated coconut oil, protein, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, sucrose, corn syrup, etc. ICP-A was made from soy protein, while ICP-B and ICP-C were made from milk protein. Creaming powders for test plots 16-0 to 18-8 were prepared by adding carnitine to each creaming powder so that the carnitine concentrations were as shown in Tables 14 to 16.

The creaming powders of each test group were stored at 60°C for one week. After storage, each creaming powder was subjected to a sensory evaluation of unpleasant odors (particularly oxidized odors and cooked odors). Specifically, the evaluation was performed on a solution (milk-flavored beverage) prepared by dissolving 10 g of creaming powder in 90 mL of hot water. In the sensory evaluation, the unpleasant odors of the creaming powders without added carnitine were scored as 2 points immediately after production and 8 points after one week of storage at 60°C. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 14 to 16. In the tables, the carnitine concentration indicates the concentration of the milk-flavored beverage. The carnitine concentrations of the milk-flavored beverages prepared from the creaming powders without added carnitine were 0.025 mg/100 mL for test group 16-0, 0.010 mg/100 mL for test group 17-0, and 0.000 mg/100 mL for test group 18-0 (below the measurement limit).

As shown in Tables 14 to 16, in creaming powders, regardless of the composition, the addition of carnitine reduced unpleasant odors, particularly cooked odors and oxidized odors that become stronger with long-term storage, improving the flavor. In particular, with ICP-A, which uses soy protein as a raw material, the grassy odor specific to soybeans can be felt, but the grassy odor was suppressed in the creaming powder of test plot 16-2 compared to the creaming powder of test plot 16-0 immediately after production. In addition, when comparing test plots 16-2 to 16-8, the more carnitine was added, the weaker the grassy odor specific to soybeans became, and the grassy odor specific to soybeans was also masked by carnitine. These results show that the unpleasant odor-reducing effect of carnitine is also exhibited in creaming powders.

[Example 6]
Three types of instant coffee powders with different carnitine contents were stored for a long period of time, and the effect on flavor was examined. The instant coffee powders used were the commercially available instant coffee powder (IC-C) used in Example 4, and two types of instant coffee powders (IC-G, IC-H) in which the carnitine content was increased by appropriately selecting raw coffee beans.

Each instant coffee powder was stored for one or two weeks in a 60°C incubator without humidity control. Each instant coffee powder was prepared either in a designated aluminum pouch (closed system) or directly on an aluminum plate (open system).

Instant coffee beverages were prepared by dissolving 1.25 g of the stored instant coffee powder in 100 mL of hot water. The carnitine concentration of each instant coffee beverage was measured, and the instant coffee beverage prepared from IC-C was below the measurement limit (0.5 μg/100 mL or less), the instant coffee beverage prepared from IC-G was 2.0 μg/100 mL, and the instant coffee beverage prepared from IC-H was 4.0 μg/100 mL.

A sensory evaluation was conducted on each of the instant coffee beverages produced for overall aroma, roasted aroma, sweet aroma, unpleasant odor, sourness, astringency, and bitterness. In the sensory evaluation, the beverages immediately after production were scored out of 5. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 17 to 19.

As shown in Tables 17 to 19, in the case of instant coffee beverages, long-term storage in the form of instant coffee powder reduced the roasted aroma and sweet aroma that enhance the palatability of coffee, and also reduced the overall aroma, but increased the unpleasant odor and astringency. The change in these flavors over time (deterioration over time) became stronger depending on the storage period, and was greater in an open system than in a closed system. Comparing the data in Tables 17 to 19, the change in these flavors over time was greatest in the instant coffee beverage prepared from IC-C, which contains almost no carnitine, and the higher the carnitine concentration, the less the change in flavor over time. On the other hand, there was no change in sourness and bitterness even after long-term storage, and no effect of carnitine concentration was observed. These results show that by increasing the carnitine concentration, the deterioration of the flavor of food and beverages over time can be suppressed.

Claims (9)

An unpleasant odor reducer for reducing unpleasant odors in foods and beverages,
The food or beverage is an instant beverage composition, an instant non-solid food preparation composition, a coffee beverage, a milk beverage, a plant-based milk beverage, or a milk ingredient;
Carnitine is the active ingredient.
The unpleasant odor reducing agent is characterized by increasing the carnitine concentration of the food or beverage to 0.5 mg/100 mL or more . A method for improving the flavor of food and beverages by reducing unpleasant odors of the food and beverages, comprising:
By increasing the carnitine concentration in food and beverages , unpleasant odors can be reduced .
The method for improving the flavor of a food or beverage, wherein the food or beverage is a composition for an instant beverage, a composition for preparing an instant non-solid food, a coffee beverage, a milk beverage, a plant-based milk beverage, or a milk ingredient . The method for improving the flavor of food and beverages according to claim 2, in which carnitine is added as a raw material to the food and beverages. The method for improving the flavor of a food or beverage according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the food or beverage is a creaming powder . The method for improving the flavor of a food or beverage according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the carnitine concentration of the food or beverage is adjusted to 0.5 mg/100 mL or more . The method for improving the flavor of a food or beverage according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the carnitine concentration of the food or beverage is adjusted to 10 g/100 mL or less . A method for improving the flavor of a milk raw material , characterized by reducing unpleasant odors by increasing the carnitine concentration of the milk raw material . Carnitine is used as a raw material
A method for producing a coffee beverage, comprising producing a coffee beverage containing soluble coffee solids and carnitine, the method comprising the steps of: producing a coffee beverage having a carnitine concentration of 0.5 mg/100 mL or more and 2.0 mg /100 mL or less. 1. A method for producing an instant coffee beverage composition for mixing with a liquid to prepare a coffee beverage, comprising:
Carnitine is used as a raw material
Contains soluble coffee solids and carnitine;
A method for producing an instant coffee beverage composition, comprising producing an instant coffee beverage composition having a carnitine content in an amount such that the carnitine concentration of a coffee beverage obtained by mixing the instant coffee beverage composition with a liquid is 0.5 mg/100 mL or more and 2.0 mg /100 mL or less.