JP7748191B2 - Plum chuhai-flavored beverage, method for producing plum chuhai-flavored beverage, and method for improving the flavor of plum chuhai-flavored beverage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a plum chuhai- flavored beverage, a method for producing a plum chuhai- flavored beverage, and a method for improving the flavor of a plum chuhai- flavored beverage.

Plum-flavored beverages, which are designed to have the flavor of plums or pickled plums, have long been popular because they give consumers the distinctive sourness of plums.
With regard to this plum-flavored beverage, for example, the following techniques have been disclosed.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a fruit-flavored alcoholic beverage that contains fruit extract but no fruit juice, and states that plum may be used as the fruit.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-198282

In Patent Document 1, an invention is considered from the viewpoint of producing a product that is less likely to lose its fruity flavor and freshness and has excellent storage stability.
Meanwhile, the present inventors have conducted extensive research into the flavor and aroma of plum-flavored beverages.
The inventors then focused on the sourness of plum-flavored beverages and confirmed that the sourness was harsh. Therefore, the inventors thought that if this harsh sourness could be modified to a refreshing sourness, it might be possible to provide consumers with plum-flavored beverages that are easy to drink.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a plum chuhai- flavored beverage with a refreshing sour taste, a method for producing a plum chuhai- flavored beverage, and a method for improving the flavor of a plum chuhai- flavored beverage.

The above problems can be solved by the following means.
(1) A plum chuhai -flavored beverage containing plum juice and alcohol, wherein the perillyl alcohol content is 100 ppb or more and 1500 ppb or less , and the perillyl acetate content is 300 ppb or more and 1200 ppb or less .
(2) The plum chuhai- flavored beverage described in 1 above, in which the perillyl alcohol content is 300 ppb or more .
(3 ) The plum chuhai- flavored beverage according to 1 or 2, which contains perillaldehyde .
(4) A plum chuhai- flavored beverage described in any one of 1 to 3, having an acidity of 1.00 g/100 mL or less.
( 5 ) A method for producing a plum chuhai-flavored beverage containing plum juice and alcohol, the method including a step of adjusting the perillyl alcohol content to 100 ppb or more and 1500 ppb or less, and adjusting the perillyl acetate content to 300 ppb or more and 1200 ppb or less .
( 6 ) A method for improving the flavor of a plum chuhai-flavored beverage containing plum juice and alcohol, by making the sourness refreshing, the method comprising the steps of adjusting the perillyl alcohol content of the plum chuhai- flavored beverage to 100 ppb or more and 1500 ppb or less , and adjusting the perillyl acetate content to 300 ppb or more and 1200 ppb or less .

The plum chuhai- flavored beverage according to the present invention has a refreshing sour taste.
The method for producing a plum chuhai- flavored beverage according to the present invention can produce a plum chuhai- flavored beverage with a refreshingly sour taste.
The method for improving the flavor of a plum chuhai- flavored beverage according to the present invention can make the sourness of a plum chuhai- flavored beverage refreshing .

The following describes the plum-flavored beverage, method for producing a plum-flavored beverage, method for enhancing the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage, and embodiment (present embodiment) of the plum-flavored beverage base according to the present invention.

[Plum-flavored drink]
The plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment is a beverage containing perillyl alcohol, with a perillyl alcohol content equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment may also contain at least one of perillyl acetate and perillaldehyde.
The plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment includes plum-flavored beverages, and is a beverage designed to have a flavor similar to that of plums or plum pickles. Furthermore, the plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment preferably contains at least one of plum juice, plum flavor, and plum extract to achieve a "plum taste," and plum juice is particularly preferred. Furthermore, when the plum-flavored beverage contains alcohol, it becomes a plum-flavored alcoholic beverage.
Each element constituting the beverage according to this embodiment will be described below.

(Perillyl alcohol)
Perillyl alcohol is a type of monoterpene alcohol represented by the molecular formula C ₁₀ H ₁₆ O.
The present inventors have also found that adding perillyl alcohol to a plum-flavored beverage improves the harsh sourness into a refreshing sourness.
The present inventors have also found that when perillyl alcohol is added to a plum-flavored beverage, the fresh feeling of green plums and the fresh, plant-like flavor are enhanced.

The perillyl alcohol content is preferably 100 ppb or more, more preferably 200 ppb or more, 300 ppb or more, 500 ppb or more, 600 ppb or more, or 700 ppb or more. By having a perillyl alcohol content of a predetermined value or more, the sourness becomes refreshing and the fresh feeling like that of green plums and the fresh plant-like flavor can be enhanced.
The perillyl alcohol content is preferably 3000 ppb or less, more preferably 2500 ppb or less, 2200 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1200 ppb or less, or 1000 ppb or less. By keeping the perillyl alcohol content at a predetermined value or less, the effects of the present invention (the effect of modifying the sourness, the effect of enhancing the freshness like that of green plums, and the effect of enhancing the fresh, plant-like flavor) can be more reliably exhibited.
In this specification, the unit "ppb" is synonymous with "μg/L."

(Perillyl acetate)
Perillyl acetate is a type of ester with the molecular formula C ₁₂ H ₁₈ O ₂ .
The inventors have also discovered that adding perillyl acetate to a plum-flavored beverage containing perillyl alcohol can improve the overall balance of the beverage without significantly suppressing the effects of the present invention (the effect of modifying the sourness, the effect of enhancing the freshness of green plums, and the effect of enhancing the fresh, plant-like flavor).

The perillyl acetate content is preferably 100 ppb or more, more preferably 300 ppb or more, and even more preferably 500 ppb or more. By ensuring that the perillyl acetate content is a predetermined value or more, the overall balance of the beverage can be improved.
The perillyl acetate content is preferably 3000 ppb or less, more preferably 2500 ppb or less, 2300 ppb or less, 2100 ppb or less, 2000 ppb or less, 1500 ppb or less, 1200 ppb or less, 1100 ppb or less, 1000 ppb or less, 800 ppb or less, and more preferably 600 ppb or less. By keeping the perillyl acetate content below a predetermined value, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the effects of the present invention (the effect of modifying the sourness, the effect of enhancing the freshness like that of green plums, and the effect of enhancing the fresh, plant-like flavor) are suppressed.

(Perillaldehyde)
Perillaldehyde is a type of monoterpene aldehyde represented by the molecular formula C ₁₀ H ₁₄ O, and is also called perillyl aldehyde.
The inventors have discovered that the effects of the present invention (the effect of modifying the sourness, the effect of enhancing the fresh feeling like green plums, and the effect of enhancing the fresh, plant-like flavor) can be achieved by adding perillaldehyde to a plum-flavored beverage.
The present inventors have also found that the effects of the present invention can be further enhanced by adding perillaldehyde to a plum-flavored beverage together with the above-mentioned perillyl alcohol and perillyl acetate.

The perillaldehyde content is preferably 1 ppm or more, more preferably 5 ppm or more, 8 ppm or more, or 10 ppm or more. By having a perillaldehyde content equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the effects of the present invention are significantly enhanced and the overall balance of the beverage is improved.
The content of perillaldehyde is preferably 100 ppm or less, more preferably 50 ppm or less, 30 ppm or less, 20 ppm or less, or 15 ppm or less. By keeping the content of perillaldehyde at a predetermined value or less, the effects of the present invention can be more reliably enhanced.
In this specification, the unit "ppm" is synonymous with "mg/L."

The content of perillyl alcohol, perillyl acetate, and perillaldehyde in beverages can be measured, for example, by diluting the sample appropriately and using solvent extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

(alcohol)
The plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment may or may not contain alcohol, but is suitable as an alcoholic beverage because it can refresh the sourness and enhance the bitterness and stimulating sensation derived from alcohol.
The alcohol may be any drinkable alcohol, and is not limited by type, production method, raw materials, etc., as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of alcohol that can be used include whiskey, brandy, spirits (e.g., spirits such as gin, vodka, rum, and raw material alcohols), liqueurs, shochu, and brewed alcohols such as sake, fruit wine, and beer. Of these, one or more of vodka, which is a distilled alcoholic beverage, and raw material alcohols are particularly preferred.
In this specification, alcohol refers to ethanol unless otherwise specified.

(Alcohol content)
When the plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment contains alcohol, the alcohol content is preferably 1% v/v or more, more preferably 2% v/v or more, 2.5% v/v or more, 3% v/v or more, or 5% v/v or more. The alcohol content is preferably 15% v/v or less, more preferably 13% v/v or less, 12.5% v/v or less, 10% v/v or less, 9% v/v or less, 7% v/v or less, or 6% v/v or less.
Furthermore, when the plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment does not contain alcohol, the alcohol content is, for example, 0.7 v/v % or less, 0.5 v/v % or less, 0.3 v/v % or less, or 0.1 v/v % or less.
The alcohol content of plum-flavored beverages can be measured, for example, based on the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) 3 Sake 3-4 alcohol content (vibration density meter/gas chromatograph analysis method).

(Extract)
The extract component (extract content) of the plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, as follows:
The extract content is preferably 1.00 w/v% or more, more preferably 2.00 w/v% or more, 3.00 w/v% or more, or 4.00 w/v% or more, and is preferably 10.00 w/v% or less, more preferably 9.00 w/v% or less, 8.00 w/v% or less, 7.00 w/v% or less, or 6.50 w/v% or less.

Here, extract content is the number of grams of non-volatile components contained in 100 cubic centimeters of original volume at a temperature of 15°C (Article 3 of the Liquor Tax Act). The extract content is a value that mainly reflects the amount of sweetener contained, as described below, and the value will be higher if the amount of sweetener is high, and lower if the amount of sweetener is low.
The extract content of a beverage can be calculated, for example, by measuring the specific gravity (sake meter value) and alcohol content in accordance with the analytical method prescribed by the National Tax Agency of Japan.

(acidity)
The acidity (acidity converted into citric acid) of the plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment is preferably within the following range.
The acidity is preferably 0.10 g/100 mL or more, more preferably 0.20 g/100 mL or more, 0.30 g/100 mL or more, 0.40 g/100 mL or more, or 0.48 g/100 mL or more, and is preferably 2.00 g/100 mL or less, more preferably 1.50 g/100 mL or less, 1.00 g/100 mL or less, 0.90 g/100 mL or less, 0.80 g/100 mL or less, or 0.50 g/100 mL or less.

The acidity (citric acid-equivalent acidity: acidity value converted into citric acid equivalent) used in this specification can be determined using the method specified in the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 489, February 24, 2016). Specifically, the beverage is neutralized by titration with sodium hydroxide solution (0.1 mol/L), and the acidity can be calculated using the "titration volume (ml)" of the sodium hydroxide solution required for the neutralization titration, the "weight (g)" of the beverage used in the titration, and the constant 0.0064 (the weight (g) of citric acid equivalent to 1 mL of 0.1 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution).

(fruit juice)
The plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment may contain fruit juice.
Here, fruit juice refers to juice squeezed from fruit, and includes various types of fruit juice such as concentrated fruit juice, reconstituted fruit juice, and straight fruit juice, as well as fruit puree (a semi-liquid product made by mashing or straining cooked or fresh fruit), diluted solutions, concentrated solutions, and mixtures thereof. Furthermore, the fruit juice may be made from one type of fruit or two or more types of fruit.

The fruit juice content may be 0% in terms of fruit juice percentage, but is, for example, 0.3% or more, 0.5% or more, 0.55% or more, and 15% or less, 10% or less, 3% or less, or 1% or less.

The fruit juice content (converted to fruit juice percentage) of the plum-flavored beverage of this embodiment is calculated as follows: "content (converted to fruit juice percentage) % (specifically, w/v %)" = "amount of fruit juice (g) blended in 100 mL of beverage" x "concentration ratio" / 100 mL x 100. Here, the "concentration ratio" (the relative concentration ratio of fruit juice when straight fruit juice is taken as 100%) is calculated in accordance with the JAS standard. Specifically, it can be calculated based on the JAS standard sugar refractometer reading standard (°Bx) or acidity standard (%). For example, if plum juice with an acidity of 7% is used, the standard acidity of plum is 3.5% according to Appendix 4 of the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Fruit Drinks (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 489, February 24, 2016), so this plum juice is twice as concentrated.

The fruit from which the juice is derived is preferably plum, as this gives the beverage a plum flavor. However, any edible fruit can be used as long as the desired effects of the present invention are not impaired. For example, in addition to the aforementioned plum, fruits from which juice can be derived include citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges, grapefruits, yuzu, and shikuwasa, as well as Rosaceae fruits such as apples, strawberries, and peaches. Other well-known fruits include grapes, plums, pomegranates, blueberries, black currants, cranberries, maqui berries, strawberries, apples, peaches, mangoes, pineapples, kiwis, and pears.

(foaming)
The plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment is preferably a sparkling beverage containing carbon dioxide, i.e., a carbonated beverage. Here, sparkling in this embodiment refers to a gas pressure (total pressure) at 20°C of 0.5 kg/ ^cm2 or more, preferably 1.0 kg/ ^cm2 or more, and more preferably 1.5 kg/ ^cm2 or more. Furthermore, the gas pressure (total pressure) at 20°C is preferably 5.0 kg/cm2 or ^less , more preferably 4.0 kg/cm2 or ^less , 3.5 kg/cm2 or ^less , and more preferably 3.0 kg/cm2 or ^less .
The gas pressure (total pressure) of the plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment at 20°C can be measured, for example, based on the National Tax Agency's prescribed analytical method (instruction) "8-3 Gas Pressure."

(others)
The plum-flavored beverage of this embodiment may contain sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, antioxidants, flavorings, acidulants, salts, dietary fiber, and the like (hereinafter referred to as "additives") typically used in beverages, provided that the desired effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of sweeteners that can be used include high-fructose glucose liquid sugar, glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, and maltose. Examples of high-intensity sweeteners that can be used include neotame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, saccharin, saccharin sodium, disodium glycyrrhizinate, cyclamate, dulcin, stevia, glycyrrhizin, thaumatin, monellin, aspartame, and alitame. Examples of antioxidants that can be used include vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenols. Examples of acidulants that can be used include citric acid, adipic acid, trisodium citrate, glucono-delta-lactone, gluconic acid, potassium gluconate, sodium gluconate, succinic acid, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, sodium acetate, DL-tartaric acid, L-tartaric acid, sodium DL-tartrate, sodium L-tartrate, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, sodium lactate, fumaric acid, monosodium fumarate, DL-malic acid, sodium DL-malate, and phosphoric acid. Examples of salts that can be used include table salt, potassium acid phosphate, calcium acid phosphate, ammonium phosphate, calcium sulfate, potassium metabisulfite, calcium chloride, potassium nitrate, and ammonium sulfate. Examples of dietary fibers that can be used include indigestible dextrin, pectin, polydextrose, and guar gum hydrolysates.
The above-mentioned raw materials can be generally commercially available.

If the plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment is to be made into a chuhai-flavored beverage, it may contain, in addition to the fruit juice described above, fruit flavors (flavors that impart a fruit-like aroma) and fruit extracts (extracts obtained by extracting the active ingredients of fruit from fruit or fruit juice using water, alcohol, etc.). The fruit species of the fruit flavors and fruit extracts are the same as those of the fruit juice described above.
Furthermore, since it is believed that the effects of the present invention (especially the effect of modifying sourness) will not be completely lost depending on the flavor type and strength of the flavor/fruit extract, the flavor type of the flavor may be diverse, and the content is not particularly limited.

As explained above, the plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment has a refreshing acidity and enhances the freshness and fresh plant-like flavor of green plums.

[Plum-flavored drink base]
The plum-flavored beverage base according to this embodiment can be diluted with a mixer, which will be described later, to produce the plum-flavored beverage.
When the plum-flavored beverage base according to this embodiment is provided to consumers, restaurants, etc., it may be provided in the form of a beverage base (RTS: Ready To Serve) and then diluted with a mixer, or it may be provided in the form of a beverage (RTD: Ready To Drink) after diluting the beverage base with a mixer.

In the following description of the plum-flavored beverage base according to this embodiment, we will omit a description of the components that are common to the plum-flavored beverage described above, and focus on the components that are different (particularly the contents, etc.).

(Perillyl alcohol)
When the perillyl alcohol content of the plum-flavored beverage base is X ppb and the dilution ratio is D, X/D is preferably 100 or more, more preferably 200 or more, 300 or more, 500 or more, 600 or more, or 700 or more. Furthermore, X/D is preferably 3000 or less, more preferably 2500 or less, 2200 or less, 2000 or less, 1500 or less, 1200 or less, or 1000 or less.

(Perillyl acetate)
When the perillyl acetate content in the plum-flavored beverage base is Y ppb and the dilution ratio is D, Y/D is preferably 100 or more, more preferably 300 or more, and more preferably 500 or more. Furthermore, Y/D is preferably 3000 or less, more preferably 2500 or less, 2300 or less, 2100 or less, 2000 or less, or 1500 or less, and more preferably 1200 or less, 1100 or less, 1000 or less, 800 or less, or 600 or less.

(Perillaldehyde)
When the perillaldehyde content of the plum-flavored beverage base is Z ppm and the dilution ratio is D, Z/D is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 5 or more, 8 or more, or 10 or more. Furthermore, Z/D is preferably 100 or less, more preferably 50 or less, 30 or less, 20 or less, or 15 or less.

(Alcohol content)
When the alcohol content of the plum-flavored beverage base is Av/v % and the dilution ratio is D, A/D is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 2 or more, 2.5 or more, 3 or more, or 5 or more. Furthermore, A/D is preferably 15 or less, more preferably 13 or less, 12.5 or less, 10 or less, 9 or less, 7 or less, or 6 or less.
When the plum-flavored beverage base does not contain alcohol, A/D is, for example, 0.7 or less, 0.5 or less, 0.3 or less, or 0.1 or less.

(Extract)
When the extract content of the plum-flavored beverage base is E w/v % and the dilution ratio is D, E/D is preferably 1.00 or more, more preferably 2.00 or more, 3.00 or more, or 4.00 or more. E/D is also preferably 10.00 or less, more preferably 9.00 or less, 8.00 or less, 7.00 or less, or 6.50 or less.

(acidity)
When the acidity of the plum-flavored beverage base is ACg/100 mL and the dilution ratio is D, AC/D is preferably 0.10 or more, more preferably 0.20 or more, 0.30 or more, 0.40 or more, or 0.48 or more. Furthermore, AC/D is preferably 2.00 or less, more preferably 1.50 or less, 1.00 or less, 0.90 or less, 0.80 or less, or 0.50 or less.

(fruit juice)
When the content of fruit juice in the plum-flavored beverage base (converted to fruit juice ratio) is F% and the dilution ratio is D, F/D may be 0, but is, for example, 0.3 or more, 0.5 or more, or 0.55 or more, and 15 or less, 10 or less, 3 or less, or 1 or less.

(Split material)
The mixer is used to dilute the plum-flavored beverage base according to this embodiment.
Examples of mixers include water, carbonated water, hot water, ice, fruit juice, fruit juice drinks, tea, etc., and one or more of these can be used in combination.
The dilution with a mixer may be carried out so that the plum-flavored beverage base according to this embodiment is 1.2 to 20 times, preferably 1.5 to 10 times, and more preferably 2 to 5 times.

As explained above, the plum-flavored beverage base according to this embodiment (for dilution ratio: D) has an X/D ratio within a predetermined range; in other words, the perillyl alcohol content of the diluted (drinking) beverage is within a predetermined range. As a result, the diluted (drinking) plum-flavored beverage has a refreshing acidity and an enhanced freshness and vegetal flavor reminiscent of green plums.

[Packaged plum-flavored beverage and packaged plum-flavored beverage base]
The plum-flavored beverage and plum-flavored beverage base according to this embodiment can be provided in various containers. By packaging the plum-flavored beverage or plum-flavored beverage base in various containers, deterioration of quality due to long-term storage can be suitably prevented.
The container may be any container that can be sealed, such as a can or barrel made of metal (such as aluminum or steel). Glass containers, PET bottles, paper containers, pouch containers, etc. may also be used. The container capacity is not particularly limited, and any container currently in circulation may be used. Metal containers are preferred because they completely block gas, moisture, and light and can maintain stable quality at room temperature for a long period of time.
Furthermore, when the plum-flavored beverage base is packed in various containers, the container may be labeled with a label indicating that the beverage may be diluted with the aforementioned mixers before drinking (e.g., the dilution ratio).

[Method for producing plum-flavored beverage and plum-flavored beverage base]
Next, a method for producing the plum-flavored beverage and plum-flavored beverage base according to this embodiment will be described.
The plum-flavored beverage and plum-flavored beverage base manufacturing method according to this embodiment include a mixing step and a post-processing step.

In the mixing step, water, perillyl alcohol, perillyl acetate, perillaldehyde, alcohol, additives, etc. are appropriately charged into a mixing tank to produce a mixed liquid.
In this mixing step, the raw materials are mixed and adjusted so that the perillyl alcohol content, perillyl acetate content, perillaldehyde content, X/D, Y/D, Z/D, etc. fall within the above-mentioned predetermined ranges.

In the post-treatment step, for example, filtration, sterilization, addition of carbon dioxide gas, and filling into a container are selectively carried out as needed.
The filtration process in the post-processing step can be carried out using a general filter or strainer. Furthermore, the sterilization process in the post-processing step is preferably carried out by plate sterilization from the viewpoint of processing speed, etc., but is not limited to this and can be applied as long as a similar process can be performed. Furthermore, the filling process in the post-processing step is preferably carried out in a clean room maintained at a level of cleanliness that is normally achieved in the production of beverages. The order of each process in the post-processing step is not particularly limited.

The processes performed in the mixing and post-processing steps can be carried out using equipment commonly used to produce RTD beverages, RTS beverages, etc.

As described above, the method for producing a plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment makes it possible to produce a plum-flavored beverage that has a refreshing acidity and an enhanced freshness and fresh plant-like flavor reminiscent of green plums.
Furthermore, according to the method for producing a plum-flavored beverage base of this embodiment, it is possible to produce a plum-flavored beverage base that, after dilution, has a refreshing acidity and an enhanced fresh feeling like green plums and a fresh, plant-like flavor.

[Method for improving the flavor of plum-flavored drinks]
Next, a method for enhancing the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment will be described.
The method for enhancing the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment is a method for enhancing the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage by making the sourness refreshing, and is a method for increasing the perillyl alcohol content to a predetermined value or more.
The content of each component is the same as that described for the "plum-flavored beverage" above.

As explained above, the method for improving the flavor of a plum-flavored beverage according to this embodiment can make the sourness refreshing (changing a harsh sourness into a refreshing sourness), enhancing the fresh feeling and fresh plant-like flavor of green plums.

Next, we will explain the present invention by illustrating examples that meet the requirements of the present invention and comparative examples that do not.

[Sample preparation]
Each sample in the table (a plum-flavored beverage, i.e., a plum chuhai-flavored beverage) was prepared by appropriately blending perillyl alcohol, perillyl acetate, perillaldehyde, vodka, fruit juice (plum juice), high-fructose syrup, citric acid (anhydrous), trisodium citrate, and carbonated water in the amounts shown in the table.
Each sample in the table was prepared so that the gas pressure (total pressure) at 20°C was approximately 1.6 kg/ ^cm2 , the alcohol content was approximately 5 v/v%, the extract content was approximately 4.5 w/v%, the acidity was approximately 0.48 g/100 mL (sample 10 only: approximately 0.8 g/100 mL), and the juice content (converted to juice content) was 5.5 w/v%. The components of each sample in the table were approximately the same except for perillyl alcohol, perillyl acetate, and perillaldehyde (sample 10 differed from the other samples in the content of citric acid (anhydrous)).

[Exam Contents]
For each sample produced by the above method, five trained panelists with discriminatory abilities rated each sample on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5 according to the following evaluation criteria for "freshness like green plums,""refreshingacidity,""fresh vegetal flavor," and "overall balance as a beverage," and the average score was calculated.
All evaluations were made by drinking the samples.

(Evaluation criteria: freshness like green plums)
The evaluation of the freshness like green plums was based on a standard of 1 point for sample 1, with 1 point for "not having the freshness like green plums" and 5 points for "having the freshness like green plums."
As for the "freshness like green plums," the higher the score, the stronger the sensation, and the more preferable it can be judged to be.

Here, "freshness like that of green plums" does not refer to the rich, ripe aroma, but rather to the refreshing, sour freshness of green plums.

(Refreshing acidity: Evaluation criteria)
The evaluation of refreshing sourness was based on a standard of 1 point for sample 1, with 1 point for a "harsh sourness, not a refreshing sourness" and 5 points for a "refreshing sourness, not a harsh sourness."
Regarding "refreshing sourness," the higher the score, the more improved the sourness, and the more preferable it can be judged.

Here, "refreshing sourness" specifically refers to a state in which a harsh sourness (a sourness that is perceived as harsh and negative) has been transformed into a refreshing sourness (a sourness that is not harsh and is perceived as refreshing and positive).

(Fresh plant-likeness: evaluation criteria)
The evaluation of fresh plant-likeness was based on a standard of 1 point for sample 1, with 1 point for "not having fresh plant-likeness" and 5 points for "having fresh plant-likeness."
Furthermore, the higher the score, the more enhanced the "fresh plant-likeness" is, and the more preferable it can be judged to be.

Here, "fresh botanical flavor" refers to a flavor that evokes the scent of fresh plants (lush greenery).

(Overall balance as a beverage: evaluation criteria)
There was no set standard for the evaluation of the overall balance of the beverage, with 1 point being given to a beverage with "poor overall balance as a beverage" and 5 points being given to a beverage with "good overall balance as a beverage."
Regarding the "overall balance of the beverage," the higher the score, the more favorable the beverage is.

Here, "overall balance as a beverage" refers to the overall balance of flavor and aroma as a beverage; for example, if the flavor balance is disrupted by a strong flavor based on a particular component, the beverage will be rated as poor.

The table shows the content of each sample and the results of each evaluation. The numerical values and indexes for each component shown in the table are the content and index in the final product.
The alcohol content of each sample was measured using a rapid alcohol measurement system (Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd.). The acidity of each sample was calculated from the amount of citric acid (anhydrous) and fruit juice added. The extract content of each sample was calculated from the amount of high-fructose corn syrup and fruit juice added.

(Review of results)
The results for Samples 1 to 5 in Table 1 confirm that adding a predetermined amount or more of perillyl alcohol to a plum-flavored beverage (a beverage containing plum juice) modifies the harsh sourness into a refreshing sourness. It was also confirmed that adding a predetermined amount or more of perillyl alcohol to a plum-flavored beverage enhances the freshness of green plums and the fresh, vegetal flavor, improving the overall balance of the beverage.
Taking all the evaluations into consideration, among samples 1 to 5, samples 2 to 5 (especially samples 3 to 5) gave very favorable results.
Furthermore, it is speculated that the reason why the harsh sourness of a plum-flavored beverage is transformed into a refreshing sourness when a specified amount or more of perillyl alcohol is added is because the ripe fruit flavor is suppressed.

Comparing the results of Samples 4 and 6 in Table 1, it was confirmed that by further adding perillyl acetate to a plum-flavored beverage containing perillyl alcohol, the refreshing acidity and freshness of green plums could be scored high (3 points or more), while the fresh vegetal flavor could be maintained at a certain score or higher (2 points or more), thereby improving the overall balance of the beverage.
In addition, when the results of Samples 4 and 6 were compared, comments were received regarding Sample 6, which contained not only perillyl alcohol but also perillyl acetate, such as "slightly sweeter, mild, and full-bodied."

Comparing the results of Samples 1 and 7 in Table 1, it was confirmed that adding perillaldehyde to a plum-flavored beverage altered the harsh acidity to a refreshing acidity, enhanced the freshness and fresh vegetal flavor of unripe plums, and improved the overall balance of the beverage.

The results for Samples 7 to 9 in Table 1 confirm that the effects of the present invention can be further enhanced by including perillyl alcohol, perillyl acetate, and perillaldehyde together in a plum-flavored beverage, rather than including perillaldehyde alone.
When all the evaluations were taken into consideration, among samples 7 to 9, samples 8 and 9 (especially sample 8) gave very favorable results.

From the results of Samples 4 and 10 in Table 1, it was confirmed that the effects of the present invention can be achieved as long as the acidity is within a certain range.
However, when comparing the results of Samples 4 and 10 in Table 1, it was confirmed that Sample 4, which has a lower acidity, can more strongly exhibit the effects of the present invention (especially the effect of enhancing the fresh feeling like that of green plums).

Claims (6)

A plum chuhai-flavored beverage containing plum juice and alcohol,
The perillyl alcohol content is 100 ppb or more and 1500 ppb or less ,
A plum chuhai- flavored beverage having a perillyl acetate content of 300 ppb or more and 1200 ppb or less . 2. The plum chuhai- flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the perillyl alcohol content is 300 ppb or more . 3. The plum chuhai -flavored beverage according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising perillaldehyde . 4. The plum chuhai- flavored beverage according to claim 1, wherein the acidity is 1.00 g/100 mL or less. A method for producing a plum chuhai-flavored beverage containing plum juice and alcohol,
A method for producing a plum chuhai -flavored beverage includes a step of adjusting the perillyl alcohol content to 100 ppb or more and 1500 ppb or less and the perillyl acetate content to 300 ppb or more and 1200 ppb or less . A method for improving the flavor of a plum chuhai-flavored beverage containing plum juice and alcohol, by making the sourness refreshing, comprising:
The method for improving the flavor of a plum chuhai- flavored beverage includes the steps of adjusting the perillyl alcohol content of the plum chuhai -flavored beverage to 100 ppb or more and 1500 ppb or less, and adjusting the perillyl acetate content to 300 ppb or more and 1200 ppb or less .