WO2021089985A1

WO2021089985A1 - Non-alcoholic malt beverage

Info

Publication number: WO2021089985A1
Application number: PCT/GB2020/052727
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio SULLO
Original assignee: Diageo Great Britain Ltd
Current assignee: Diageo Great Britain Ltd
Priority date: 2019-11-05
Filing date: 2020-10-29
Publication date: 2021-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2022-05-05
Also published as: GB2589309B; GB201916057D0; GB2589309A

Abstract

A non-alcoholic malt beverage and method for making same, possessing a pH in a range between 3.2 to 4.0 and containing a monovalent salt, divalent salt or combination thereof. The salt(s) are added at a level sufficient to reduce the perceived sourness of the beverage without adding perceived saltiness to the final beverage product.

Description

NON-ALCOHOLIC MALT BEVERAGE

The present invention relates to a non-alcoholic malt beverage of improved stability.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Non-alcoholic beverages pose a challenge to manufacturers because the finished beverage product contains sugar and other ingredients that would be susceptible to microbial growth. To overcome this, thermal treatments are applied prior to or after bottling.

Furthermore, it is well known in the art that lowering the pH of a beverage to below pH 4 will create a hurdle to pathogen growth in a beverage product. Therefore, manufacturers have sought to lower the pH of the final beverage. Lower pH produces a more micro-stable beverage and the stabilizers/preservatives are much more effective.

Attempts to lower the pH have not always been successful because the lower pH of the beverage produces a sourness that makes the beverage objectionable to the end consumer.

US Published Patent Application US 2012/0021116 A1 (equivalent to European Patent Application EP 2 380449 Al) teaches the production of an unfermented malt beverage having a pH lower than 4. The product comprises a wort, a pH adjuster, and a seasoning ingredient wherein the sourness brought about by the pH adjuster is intended to be reduced or eased by the seasoning ingredient. The seasoning ingredient is selected from the group consisting of glutamic acid and succinic acid, a combination of glutamic acid and alanine, a combination of glutamic acid and glycine and a combination of succinic acid and alanine. The seasoning agent may be added in a salt form, for example well-known sitologically acceptable salts such as alkali metal salts, e.g. sodium salt and a potassium salt; or alkaline-earth metal salts, such as a calcium salt and a magnesium salt.

From experimentation the combinations of ingredients described in EP 2 380449 Al proved not to be effective and the beverage still possesses a sour taste residue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide a non-alcoholic malt beverage that addresses the above shortcomings known from the prior art or at least provides consumers with an alternative. It is believed there is an opportunity to control the sour taste of a low pH non alcoholic beverage as an improvement over the prior art, thereby obtaining a micro stable beverage with no/little sourness or other off-flavours.

The present invention is directed to a non-alcoholic malt beverage according to claim 1.

Such a beverage has a pH in a range from 3.2 to 4 and incorporates certain monovalent salts, divalent salts, or a combination of monovalent and divalent salts, in an amount effective to reduce or eliminate the sourness of the beverage without adding perceived saltiness. The present invention also relates to a method of increasing the microbial stability of a non alcoholic malt beverage according to claim 2. The method comprises the addition of a strong acid to lower the pH of the beverage to 3.2 to 4 while adding an effective amount of a monovalent salt, divalent salt or combination thereof to reduce the perceived sourness of the beverage without adding perceived saltiness. This method produces a non-alcoholic malt beverage which closely resembles the taste of a malt beverage containing alcohol.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention a non-alcoholic malt beverage is provided which has a pH within the range of 3.2 to 4 and has an effective amount of a monovalent salt, divalent salt or combination thereof added to it enabling the beverage to have a reduced perceived sourness and minimal perceived saltiness.

The effective monovalent salts are sodium chloride (NaCI) or potassium chloride (KCI). When the monovalent salts are incorporated they are added in amounts corresponding to about 0.35 g/L to about 0.7 g/L.

The effective divalent salts are magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) or calcium chloride (CaCl₂).

When the divalent salts are incorporated they are added in amounts corresponding to about 1.0 g/L to about 1.5 g/L.

The preferred reduction of perceived sourness is achieved by a combination of a monovalent salt or salts added in an amount corresponding to about 0.025 g/L to about 0.3 g/L and a divalent salt or salts added in an amount corresponding to about 0.5 g/L to about 1.5 g/L.

The method of increasing the microbial stability of a non-alcoholic malt beverage requires the pH of the beverage to be lowered to 3.2 to 4 by the addition of a strong acid. The strong acid has a pKa of less than 4 and the strong acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and combinations thereof or the corresponding salts of the strong acids such as for example, sodium sulphate. Other acids such as lactic, gluconic and citric were found to impart too high a perception of sourness as compared to the aforementioned acids.

The method comprises adding the aforementioned monovalent salts or divalent salts or combinations thereof to the beverage at the levels set forth above. The salts are effective to reduce the perceived sourness of the beverage without contributing perceived saltiness to the beverage. The lower pH helps to produce a micro-stable liquid because the lower pH is hostile to bacterial growth. At this lower pH, preservatives and/or stabilizers that are incorporated into the beverage work more effectively. With these combined effects, the manufacturer may be able to implement PET bottling and avoid thermal treatment. The non-alcoholic malt beverage contains a combination of sweeteners (typically sugar), natural malt concentrate and malt flavor with stabilizers and preservatives.

The present invention will be specifically described in the following examples. However, the examples are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. EXAMPLE 1

Three non-alcoholic malt beverages were formulated which contained the ingredients listed below in each of the tables. All three beverages incorporated phosphoric acid in a sufficient quantity to lower the pH of the final beverage product to pH 3.5. The beverages included Sample #1 (the control beverage) which did not contain any salt (monovalent or divalent to aid in the decreased perception of sourness), Sample #2 which included a combination of sodium and potassium chloride and Sample #3 which included a combination of magnesium chloride and sodium chloride. In all samples, sufficient water was added to the formulations to bring the final volume up to one liter.

Sample #1

Sample #2

Sample #3

The three (3) sample products were given to an internal trained benchtop panel of expert tasters for flavour evaluation. Sample #1 (control beverage) exhibited a strong sourness which rendered the beverage unacceptable. Samples #2 and #3 exhibited significantly lower levels of sourness without perceived saltiness. Of the two samples, sample #3 was preferred.

EXAMPLE 2

In this Example, non-alcoholic malt beverages were prepared as follows:

Sample #4- beverage at pH 5 with no salts (Control).

Sample #5- beverage at pH 3.5 with no salts. Sample #6- beverage at pH 3.5 with NaCI.

Sample #7- beverage at pH 3.5 with MgCl₂.

Sample #8- beverage at pH 3.5 with MgCl₂ and CaCl₂.

Sample #9- beverage at pH 3.5 with MgCl₂ and NaCI.

Sample #10- beverage at pH 3.5 with MgCl₂ and KCI.

Sample #4 (pH 5):

Sample #4 was formulated such that it had a final pH of approximately 5. Sample #5:

Sample #6:

Sample #7:

Sample #8

Sample #9

Sample #10

A group of trained panelists compared the samples. Sample #5 was judged to be unacceptable; i.e. considered more acidic, lighter in mouthfeel, watery, less sweet and less malt flavor as compared to the control.

All of the other samples were considered acceptable in that the salts were able to mask the increased acidic taste attributed to the lowering of the pH. The combinations of the monovalent and divalent salts were preferred.

A preferred sensory method for assessing sourness comprises utilizing accredited panelists (e.g. n=57) at 95% level of confidence using a directional paired comparison test. Each panelist received a sample and a reference and are asked if the two samples differ or not in sourness.

Claims

1 . A pH 3.2 to 4.0 non-alcoholic malt beverage, comprising: a monovalent salt selected from the group consisting of NaCI, KCI or a combination thereof incorporated in an amount of 0.35 g/L to 0.7 g/L; or a divalent salt selected from the group consisting of CaCl₂, MgCl₂ or a combination thereof incorporated in an amount of 1.0 g/L to 1.5 g/L; or a combination of the monovalent salt and divalent salt incorporated in amounts of 0.025 g/L to 0.3 g/L for the monovalent salt and 0.5 g/L to 1.5 g/L for the divalent salt.

2. A method for reducing perceived sourness of a non-alcoholic malt beverage, comprising: the addition of a strong acid to lower the pH of the beverage to 3.2 to 4.0; the addition of: a monovalent salt selected from the group consisting of NaCI, KCI, or a combination thereof, incorporated in an amount of 0.35 g/L to 0.7 g/L; or a divalent salt selected from the group consisting of MgCI, CaCI or a combination thereof, incorporated in an amount of 1.0 g/L to 1. 5 g/L; or a combination of said monovalent salt and divalent salt, incorporated in amounts of 0.025 g/L to 0.3 g/L for the monovalent salt and 0.5 g/L to 1.5 g/L for the divalent salt.

3. The method of Claim 2, wherein the strong acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric, sulfuric and phosphoric and combinations thereof.