EP-4740745-A1 - BEVERAGE CONTAINING ERYTHRITOL, GLUCONIC ACID, AND AMINO ACID

EP4740745A1EP 4740745 A1EP4740745 A1EP 4740745A1EP-4740745-A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a beverage containing an alternative sweetener in which the taste quality unique to alternative sweeteners is reduced or improved. One embodiment of the present invention provides a beverage containing: erythritol; gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound; and one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine, and theanine.

Inventors

YAMASHITA JUMPEI
SOGUCHI Akira
OHKURI Tadahiro
LU LUCY

Assignees

Suntory Holdings Limited

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240705

Claims (15)

A beverage, comprising: erythritol; gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound; and one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine, and theanine.
The beverage according to claim 1, comprising one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine, and histidine.
The beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a content of the one or more amino acids is from 10 to 5000 ppm by mass.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a content of the erythritol is from 100 to 25000 ppm by mass.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a content of the gluconic acid or the gluconic acid compound is, in terms of gluconic acid, from 30 to 20000 ppm by mass.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the gluconic acid compound comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and potassium gluconate.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the beverage comprises from 1 to 2000 ppm by mass of sodium.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the beverage comprises from 600 to 1800 ppm by mass of sodium.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a high-intensity sweetener.
The beverage according to claim 9, wherein the high-intensity sweetener comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside I, rebaudioside J, rebaudioside K, rebaudioside M, rebaudioside N, rebaudioside O, rebaudioside Q, rebaudioside R, dulcoside A, dulcoside C, rubusoside, steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, stevioside, luo han guo extract, mogroside V, thaumatin, brazzein, licorice extract, saccharin, neotame, aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, and a combination thereof.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the beverage is a carbonated beverage or an energy drink.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 11, having an energy of 30 Kcal/100 ml or less.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising citric acid.
The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the beverage is a packaged beverage.
A method for improving taste quality of a beverage, the method comprising adding, to a beverage containing erythritol: gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound; and one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine, and theanine.

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to a beverage containing erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more predetermined amino acids, and a method for producing the beverage. The present invention further relates to a method for improving taste quality of a beverage, the method including adding gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound and one or more amino acids to a beverage containing erythritol. Background Art In recent years, development of foods and beverages using an alternative sweetener has been advanced against the backdrop of the increase in health awareness and the introduction of a sugar tax being considered in various countries. On the other hand, alternative sweeteners often have unique flavor characteristics different from sugar, and the presence of such unique flavor characteristic may be a concern in using the alternative sweeteners. Therefore, studies have been made to reduce and improve the unique flavor characteristic of alternative sweeteners. For example, JP 6668607 B (Patent Document 1) discloses, as a technique for improving the quality of sweetness, sharpness, lingering sweetness, or bitterness of one or more sweeteners selected from sucralose, acesulfame potassium, and erythritol, blending one or more sweetness-improving substances selected from a Japanese pepper extract, a ginger extract, a laurel extract, a nutmeg extract, and a Sichuan pepper extract in a beverage containing one or more of these sweeteners. In addition, JP 6744858 B (Patent Document 2) discloses, as a taste quality improving technique for suppressing bitterness and improving an aftertaste in a sweetener containing erythritol as a main component, the use of a trace amount of D-psicose of 0.27 to 7 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of erythritol in combination in a sweetener composition containing erythritol as a main component. Citation List Patent Document Patent Document 1: JP 6668607 BPatent Document 2: JP 6744858 B Summary of Invention Technical Problem Under the circumstances described above, there is a need for the development of a beverage containing an alternative sweetener in which the taste quality unique to the alternative sweetener is reduced and/or improved. Solution to Problem The present inventors have conducted studies and found that at least one flavor characteristic selected from the group consisting of a miscellaneous taste, a low body feel, and a lingering sweetness derived from erythritol is improved by including erythritol, gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound, and one or more predetermined amino acids in a beverage. The present invention is based on such a finding. The present invention includes, for example, inventions in accordance with the following aspects. [1] A beverage, containing: erythritol;gluconic acid or a gluconic acid compound; andone or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cystine, and theanine.[2] The beverage according to [1], containing one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine, lysine, and histidine.[3] The beverage according to [1] or [2], wherein a content of the one or more amino acids is from 10 to 5000 ppm by mass.[4] The beverage according to any of [1] to [3], wherein a content of the erythritol is from 100 to 25000 ppm by mass.[5] The beverage according to any of [1] to [4], wherein a content of the gluconic acid or the gluconic acid compound is, in terms of gluconic acid, from 30 to 20000 ppm by mass.[6] The beverage according to any of [1] to [5], wherein the gluconic acid compound includes one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium gluconate and potassium gluconate.[7] The beverage according to any of [1] to [6], wherein the beverage comprises from 1 to 2000 ppm by mass of sodium.[8] The beverage according to any of [1] to [7], wherein the beverage comprises from 600 to 1800 ppm by mass of sodium.[9] The beverage according to any of [1] to [8], further containing a high-intensity sweetener.[10] The beverage according to [9], wherein the high-intensity sweetener contains at least one selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside I, rebaudioside J, rebaudioside K, rebaudioside M, rebaudioside N, rebaudioside O, rebaudioside Q, rebaudioside R, dulcoside A, dulcoside C, rubusoside, steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, stevioside, luo han guo extract, mogroside V, thaumatin, brazzein, licorice extract, saccharin, neotame, aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, and a combination thereof.[11] The beverage according to any of [1] to [10], wherein the beverage is a carbonated