Technical Field
The present invention relates to a carbonated beverage, a method for preparing
a flavor composition, and a method for suppressing effervescence of carbonated
10 beverages.
Background Art
Carbonated beverages are popular in the market because they are often drunk for
the unique stimulation felt in the oral cavity due to the carbon dioxide gas in the beverage,
and can be enjoyed with stimulating and refreshing sensations. In addition, due to the
15 recent diversification of consumer tastes, not only plain carbonated beverages but also
carbonated beverages containing flavors and fruit juices are offered, and it is known that
carbonated beverages have a stronger aroma than non-carbonated beverages.
Meanwhile, carbonated beverages have carbon dioxide gas dissolved in a
supersaturated state, which may cause problems such as spurting of the carbonated
20 beverages when filling containers such as PET bottles or when consumers open the caps.
In view of this, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique that can effectively
and stably suppress the spurting of carbonated beverages by classifying aroma
components by LogP and controlling their content ratios. In addition, Patent Literature
2 discloses a technique that suppresses spurting and spillage during filling by blending
25 tri- or higher polysaccharides.
Citation List
Patent Literatures
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-165668
30 Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-226073
2
Summary of Invention
Problems to be solved by the invention
However, the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is expressed by the
5 content ratio of the hydrophobic aroma component and the hydrophilic aroma component,
and still has a problem in that it is necessary to consider both the flavor tone and the
effervescence. Moreover, the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 2 does not focus
on the effervescence of the flavor component itself.
Means for solution of the problems
10 Therefore, with the aim of providing a carbonated beverage capable of
suppressing the spurting and spillage of the carbonated beverage during production and
opening, the present inventors paid attention to the action of flavor components on foam
during intensive studies, and also paid attention to the physical property values of flavor
components related to this action. Thus, the present invention has been completed.
15 Specifically, the present invention provides a carbonated beverage containing 1
ppm to 160 ppm of a flavor component having a LogP of 2.8 to 8 and a flavor composition
containing a flavor component having a LogP of 2.8 to 8, and also provides a method for
suppressing effervescence of carbonated beverages, including the step of adjusting the
content of a flavor component having a LogP of 2.8 to 8 in the carbonated beverage to 1
20 ppm to 160 ppm.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
The present invention provides a carbonated beverage whose spurting and
spillage are suppressed during production and opening, a flavor composition for
carbonated beverages that suppresses spurting and spillage, and a technique capable of
25 suppressing spurting and spillage.
Description of Embodiments
The present invention is described below.
The LogP of the flavor component used in the present invention can be calculated
30 based on, for example, "United States Environmental Protection Agency ver. 4.11".
3
Note that larger values of LogP indicate higher hydrophobicity.
The flavor component used in the present invention has a LogP of 2.8 to 8,
preferably a LogP of 2.8 to 6 in terms of solubility, calculated according to the above
"United States Environmental Protection Agency ver. 4.11". Specific examples include
5 benzyl benzoate, isoamyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, benzyl salicylate, octanol,
nonanol, decanol, and menthyl 3-hydroxybutyrate. Benzyl benzoate, menthyl 3-
hydroxybutyrate, ethyl myristate, methyl myristate, and ethyl palmitate are preferable
because they have a small impact on the flavor tone. Moreover, these flavor components
may be used singly or in combination of two or more.
10 The content of the flavor component is 1 ppm to 160 ppm, preferably 2 ppm to
100 ppm, more preferably 3 ppm to 50 ppm, and further preferably 4 ppm to 20 ppm,
based on the carbonated beverage. When the content of the flavor component is within
the above ranges, the effervescence suppressing action on the carbonated beverage can
be effectively obtained, and the impact on the flavor tone is small.
15 Carbonated beverages in the present invention can be, for example, various
beverages containing carbon dioxide gas such as carbonated beverages containing only
water, flavor, and carbon dioxide gas, cider beverages containing sweeteners and
acidulants, and colored carbonated beverages. Also, the carbonated beverage in the
present invention may be an alcohol-containing carbonated beverage. Examples of
20 alcohol-containing carbonated beverages include low-malt beer, beer-flavored alcoholic
beverages, chuhai, and cocktails.
In the carbonated beverage of the present invention, flavors other than the flavor
component may be general flavors such as natural flavors, synthetic flavors, and mixtures
of natural flavors and synthetic flavors. For example, fruit flavors, yogurt flavors,
25 ramune flavors, or mixtures thereof can be used. Examples of fruit flavors include citrus
fruits (such as orange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin orange, pomelo, natsumikan, hassaku,
lime, citron, yuzu, oroblanco, sudachi, kabosu, and kumquat), berries (raspberries such
as raspberry, blackberry, loganberry, youngberry, boysenberry, tayberry, cloudberry,
salmonberry, arctic raspberry, and mayberry, bilberries such as blueberry, cranberry, and
30 cowberry, currants such as gooseberry, red currant, and black currant, and gummies,
4
mulberry, strawberry, wolfberry, and elderberry), pears (such as European pear, Japanese
pear, and Chinese pear), apple, grape, pineapple, fig, melon, mango, pomegranate,
passion fruit, lychee, banana, peach, watermelon, tomato, papaya, guava, and loquat.
These flavors may be used singly or in combination of two or more. From the
5 viewpoint of efficiently obtaining the effervescence suppressing effect on carbonated
beverages, it is preferable to use natural flavors of citrus fruits or flavors abundantly
contained in citrus fruits.
Solvents contained in the flavor composition of the present invention include
ethanol, propylene glycol, triacetin, triethyl citrate, glycerin and the like. These solvents
10 may be used singly or in combination of two or more.
Examples of sweeteners contained in carbonated beverages include fructose
glucose corn syrup, sugar (including sucrose and granulated sugar), fructose, highfructose corn syrup, glucose, oligosaccharides, lactose, honey, starch syrup, sugar
alcohols, and high-intensity sweeteners.
15 Examples of high-intensity sweeteners include aspartame, acesulfame potassium,
xylitol, glycyrrhizin, disodium glycyrrhizinate, saccharin, calcium saccharin, sodium
saccharin, sucralose, alitame, neotame, arabinose, licorice extract, xylose, stevia,
thaumatin, swingle extract, rhamnose, and ribose.
These sweeteners may be used singly or in combination of two or more.
20 Examples of acidulants contained in carbonated beverages include citric acid,
lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, adipic acid, glucono delta-lactone, gluconic acid,
succinic acid, glacial acetic acid, fumaric acid, phytic acid, phosphoric acid, and salts
thereof.
These acidulants may be used singly or in combination of two or more.
25 Preferably, the carbonated beverage is substantially free of fruit juice. This
makes it possible to efficiently obtain the effervescence suppressing effect on carbonated
beverages.
The gas volume of the carbonated beverage (pressure of the carbon dioxide gas)
may be appropriately adjusted according to the purpose. According to the present
30 invention, effervescence can be suppressed at a high gas volume of 3.0 to 5.0. However,
5
it is not particularly limited to this, and for example, the gas volume of carbonated
beverages may be set to a low gas volume of 0.1 to 3.0.
A known method can be used as a method for injecting carbon dioxide gas.
Also, the gas volume in carbonated beverages can be measured by known methods. For
5 example, it can be measured using a commercially available measuring instrument (such
as Gas Volume Analyzer GVA-500 manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing
Co., Ltd.).
Note that the gas volume represents the volume of carbon dioxide gas dissolved
in the carbonated beverage based on the volume of the entire carbonated beverage under
10 standard conditions (1 atmospheric pressure, 0°C).
The carbonated beverage of the present invention may contain additional
components in addition to flavors, sweeteners, and acidulants to the extent that the effects
of the present invention are not impaired. The additional components can be blended as
additives. Examples of such additives include colorants, antioxidants, seasonings,
15 reinforcing agents such as vitamins and minerals, pH adjusters, emulsifiers, stabilizers,
dietary fibers, and dextrin.
These components may be used singly or in combination of two or more.
It is expected that the present invention can effectively suppress the spurting of
carbonated beverages when filling with the carbonated beverages.
20 Examples
The present invention is described in more detail below with reference to
Examples and Comparative Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.
(Evaluation Method)
A funnel (diameter: 150 mm) was placed so that the tip thereof was positioned 5
25 mm above the mouth of a 2 L graduated cylinder (height: 490 mm, outer diameter: 9 cm).
A 500 mL sample was poured into the funnel, and after 10 seconds, the liquid was
carefully poured into the center of the graduated cylinder at a rate of 10 L/min, and the
maximum height (maximum total height) reached until effervescence disappeared was
measured. From the obtained results, the effervescence rate was calculated based on the
30 following formula.
6
Effervescence rate (%)=(maximum total height with addition of a single item
expected to have effervescence suppressing effect)×100/(maximum total height without
addition)
Note that as a criterion for the effervescence suppressing effect, an effervescence
5 rate of 90% or less was determined as having an effervescence suppressing effect.
The following lemon flavor composition (reference product 1) was prepared.
Table 1 shows the formulation of reference product 1.
Table 1
Compound Name Weight Ratio
Ethyl Alcohol 58.36
Water 40.00
Citral 1.00
α-Terpineol 0.20
Linalool 0.15
Geraniol 0.15
Neryl Acetate 0.05
Geranyl Acetate 0.05
4-Terpineol 0.02
Citronellyl Acetate 0.01
Nonanal 0.01
Total 100.00
To commercially available plain strong carbonated water (gas volume 5.0)
10 cooled to 5°C or less, reference product 1 and various flavor components expected to
have an effervescence suppressing effect were added so that the total thereof was 0.1%
based on the total amount of the carbonated beverage, thereby preparing a sample. Table
2 below shows the mass ratio of reference product 1 and each flavor component.

What is claimed is:
1. A carbonated beverage comprising 1 ppm to 160 ppm of a flavor component having a
LogP of 2.8 to 8.
5 2. The carbonated beverage according to claim 1, wherein the flavor component is at least
one selected from benzyl benzoate, isoamyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, benzyl
salicylate, octanol, nonanol, decanol, menthyl 3-hydroxybutyrate, ethyl myristate, methyl
myristate, and ethyl palmitate.
10 3. A flavor composition comprising a flavor component having a LogP of 2.8 to 8 for use
in a carbonated beverage, wherein the flavor composition is added to the carbonated
beverage so that 1 ppm to 160 ppm of the flavor component having a LogP of 2.8 to 8 is
contained in the carbonated beverage.
15 4. The flavor composition according to claim 3, wherein the flavor component is at least
one selected from benzyl benzoate, isoamyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, benzyl
salicylate, octanol, nonanol, decanol, menthyl 3-hydroxybutyrate, ethyl myristate, methyl
myristate, and ethyl palmitate.
20 5. A method for suppressing effervescence of a carbonated beverage, comprising the step
of adjusting a content of a flavor component having a LogP of 2.8 to 8 in the carbonated
beverage to 1 ppm to 160 ppm.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the flavor component is at least one selected
25 from benzyl benzoate, isoamyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, benzyl salicylate, octanol,
nonanol, decanol, menthyl 3-hydroxybutyrate, ethyl myristate, methyl myristate, and
ethyl palmitate.