SOLID COMPOSITION HAVING GREEN LAVER SCENT

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a solid composition that provides green layer aroma and makes one feel its aroma in a sustained way when added to a medium such as water. The solid composition comprises dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone, and has a weight ratio of β-ionone content to dimethyl sulfide content which is adjusted to be in the range of from 0.003 to 3.

Claims

1. A solid composition comprising dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone, and having a weight ratio of β-ionone content to dimethyl sulfide content of from 0.003 to 3.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition is a powder composition.

3. The composition according to claim 1, comprising two or more types of dextrins.

4. The composition according to claim 3, comprising a linear dextrin and a cyclic dextrin.

5. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising at least one aroma component selected from the group consisting of α-ionone, β-cyclocitral, (z)-3-hexenol, 1-penten-3 -ol, hexanal, and nerolidol.

6. The composition according to claim 1, comprising a tea leaf extract.

7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the tea leaf extract is a Sencha tea leaf extract.

8. A beverage or food comprising the composition according to claim 1.

9. The beverage or food according to claim 8, wherein the beverage or food is a beverage.

10. The beverage or food according to claim 9, wherein the beverage or food is a tea beverage.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0095] Hereunder, the present invention will be described by way of working examples, but this invention is not limited to these examples.

[0096] 1. Preparation of Solid Compositions (Powder Compositions)

[0097] (1-1) Liquid Tea Leaf Extract

[0098] A tea extraction tank was charged with 12 kg of commercial Kabuse-cha tea leaves, 2.5 kg of dextrin (comprising 0.375 kg of CAVAMAX W6 (α-CD), 1.063 kg of Sandek #30, and 1.063 kg of Cluster Dextrin), 0.36 kg of L-ascorbic acid, and 0.22 kg of sodium bicarbonate, and further with 120 L of hot water, and the mixture was held at 50° C. for 10 minutes to prepare a liquid tea leaf extract. 85 L of the obtained liquid tea leaf extract was mixed with 2.04 kg of a dextrin (TK-16), and the mixture was centrifuged to remove insolubles (tea leaves) and sterilized under the conditions of 90° C. for 30 seconds. Then, the mixture was subjected to membrane concentration (NTR-759HG-S4F; produced by Nitto Denko Corporation; liquid temperature: 20° C.; pressure: 3 MPa) so as to obtain a concentrated liquid tea leaf extract having a solids concentration in solution of Brix 20 to 35.

[0099] (1-2) Tea Leaf Distillate

[0100] Separately from the aforementioned process, a distillate was prepared from tea leaves. To be specific, 12 kg of commercial Kabuse-cha tea leaves were mixed with 12 kg of water, and the mixture was stirred by hand to moisten the tea leaves so as to avoid a bias of the water content in the tea leaves. Next, the tea leaves were put in a basket placed in a steam still, and blow-in type steam distillation was performed at a steam pressure of 0.25 MPa, a steam flow rate of 16 kg/hr, and a steam temperature of 100° C. (atmospheric pressure). Then, condensation was carried out at cooling refrigerant temperatures of 4° C. for supply and 6° C. for return, and at a refrigerant flow rate of 30 L/min., to collect a distillate. The time of distillate collection was set to 30 minutes after the distillate started to distill out. This operation was repeated ten times to obtain a total of 120 kg of distillate (tea aroma composition).

[0101] The obtained tea aroma composition was treated with activated carbon by the following procedure: 1.52 g of wood-derived powder activated carbon (Shirasagi WP-Z; produced by Osaka Gas Chemicals Co., Ltd.) with an average pore diameter of 3 nm was added to 78 kg of the above-obtained distillate, and the mixture was stirred with a stirrer for 10 minutes. Then, the activated carbon was removed from the distillate using a filter paper (ADVANTEC, No.2). The treatment temperature used during the activated carbon treatment was set to 5.7° C.

[0102] Further, 50 kg of the distillate treated with activated carbon was placed in a still, and the interior of the still was depressurized to −0.09 MPa using a vacuum pump. The depressurized still was heated at a steam flow rate of 15 kg/hr and a steam pressure of 0.25 MPa to raise the temperature of the distillate to 60° C. Then, condensation was carried out at cooling refrigerant temperatures of 4° C. for supply and 6° C. for return, and at a refrigerant flow rate of 31 L/min., to collect a distillate. The time of distillate collection was set to 15 minutes after the distillate started to distill out. The amount of the distillate collected was 5 kg in total (concentrated to 10-fold). The thus-obtained distillate was used as a tea leaf distillate.

[0103] (1-3) Powder Composition

[0104] Thirty liters of the liquid tea leaf extract obtained in (1-1) was mixed with 3030 mL of the distillate obtained in (1-2), and then the mixed solution was sterilized under the conditions of 90° C. for 45 seconds. The sterilized solution was spray-dried using a spray dryer to prepare a powder composition. The drying conditions adopted were an inlet hot-air temperature of 160° C. and an outlet hot-air temperature of 110° C.

[0105] (1-4) Evaluation of Powder Compositions

[0106] The above obtained powder composition was tasted while dissolved in water, and then was felt to have excellent green layer aroma. As a result of analyzing this powder composition, different aroma components were detected, such as dimethyl sulfide, β-ionone, nerolidol, hexanal, 1-penten-3-ol, and (z)-3-hexenol. With the presence of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone being particularly focused among those aroma components, the concentrations of these two components in this powder composition were measured by following the procedure described below.

[0107] <Calibration Curve>

[0108] Standard stock solutions (in ethanol solvent) were prepared so as to ensure that each of the aroma components of interest was present at a concentration of 1000 ppm. Each stock solution was diluted with pure water to concentrations of 0.004, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 ppm. 10 mL each of the prepared solutions was transferred into a 20 mL glass vial containing 3 g of sodium chloride, and the thus obtained samples were used for calibration curve plotting.

[0109] <Preparation of an Analysis Sample>

[0110] The powder composition was dissolved in pure water, as appropriate, to give a concentration that fell within the concentration range of the calibration curve, and 10 mL of the diluted solution and 3 g of sodium chloride were placed in a 20 mL glass vial to thereby prepare an analysis sample.

[0111] <Component Analysis>

[0112] The concentrations of the different aroma components were measured using a gas chromatographic analysis system (Flash GC Nose HERACLES II; produced by Alpha M.O.S. Japan K.K.).

[0113] (Sampling parameters)

[0114] Incubation: 60° C. for 15 min.

[0115] Syringe: temperature: 70° C.; cleaning after injection: 90 sec.

[0116] Headspace injection: 5000 μL at 250 μL/sec.

[0117] (System parameters)

[0118] Column 1: MXT-5 (slight polarity, 10 m, 180 μm ID, 0.4 μm)

[0119] Column 2: MXT-WAX (high polarity, 10 m, 180 μm ID, 0.4 μm)

[0120] Carrier gas flow rate: hydrogen 1.6 mL/min.

[0121] Flame ionization detector (FID) temperature: 260° C.

[0122] Injector temperature: 200° C.

[0123] Oven temperature: 40° C. (5 sec.), then raised at 1.5° C./sec. to 250° C. (90 sec.)

[0124] Injection time: 125 sec.

[0125] Trap temperature: 50° C. for adsorption, 240° C. for desorption

[0126] Trap time: 130 sec. for adsorption, 35 sec. for preheating

[0127] As a result of the above measurement, the concentrations of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone were found to be 83 ppb and 8 ppb, respectively. Additionally, a different powder composition was prepared using commercial Sencha tea leaves as a source material to make a liquid tea leaf extract, and was evaluated by the same procedures as mentioned above. As a result, the different powder composition was felt to have a similar excellent green layer aroma, and the concentrations of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone in said powder composition were found to be 54 ppb and 8 ppb, respectively (powder composition B). Further, another different powder composition was prepared using commercial Sencha tea leaves as a source material to make a liquid tea leaf extract, and using a dextrin mixture comprising Cluster Dextrin and TK-16 at a ratio of 33:17, and was evaluated by the same procedures as mentioned above. As a result, this powder composition was also felt to have a similar excellent green layer aroma, and the concentrations of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone in said powder composition were found to be 30 ppb and 11 ppb, respectively (powder composition C).

[0128] The concentrations of other aroma components were measured under the conditions detailed below.

[0129] <Component Analysis>

[0130] An analysis sample prepared by the same procedure as mentioned above was loaded into a gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy system (produced by Agilent Technologies) to measure the concentrations of different aroma components by a multi-volatile method (MVM) using a MPS produced by Gestel.

[0131] System: [0132] GC: GC7890B, produced by Agilent Technologies [0133] MS: 5977A, produced by Agilent Technologies [0134] HS: MPS, produced by Gestel [0135] Tube: Tenax TA, Carbon bx1000

[0136] Column: HP-INNOWAX, 60 m×0.25 mm i.d., df=0.25 μm

[0137] Temperature conditions: 40° C. (4 min.), then raised at 5° C./min. to 260° C.

[0138] Carrier gas flow rate: He 1.5 mL/min.

[0139] Injection method: Splitless

[0140] Ion source temperature: 260° C.

[0141] As a result of the above measurement, the concentrations of nerolidol, hexanal, 1-penten-3-ol, and (z)-3-hexenol in the powder composition prepared in (1-3) were found to be 8.8 ppb, 3.7 ppb, 24.0 ppb, and 75.3 ppb, respectively. Also, the concentrations of nerolidol, hexanal, 1-penten-3-ol, α-ionone, (z)-3-hexenol, and β-cyclocitral in the powder composition B were found to be 4.2 ppb, 3.0 ppb, 61.8 ppb, 9.4 ppb, 9.2 ppb, and 8.0 ppb, respectively. Further, the concentrations of nerolidol, hexanal, 1-penten-3-ol, α-ionone, (z)-3-hexenol, and β-cyclocitral in the powder composition C were found to be 11.2 ppb, 3.9 ppb, 44.7 ppb, 9.6 ppb, 4.4 ppb, and 7.4 ppb, respectively.

[0142] 2. Study on the Ratio of Aroma Components

[0143] Based on the measurement results given above, a focus was placed on the content ratio of dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone, and in particular, a study was made on the weight ratio of β-ionone content to dimethyl sulfide content (β-ionone/dimethyl sulfide).

[0144] First, a base powdered tea was prepared. To be specific, a tea extraction tank was charged with 12 kg of commercial Sencha tea leaves (Yutakamidori) and then with 120 kg of hot water, and the mixture was held at 40° C. for 40 minutes to effect extraction of the tea leaves. This extraction treatment was repeated twice to obtain a total of 181 L of liquid tea leaf extract. The obtained liquid tea leaf extract was mixed with 2.03 kg of a dextrin (Pine Oligo 20), 0.18 kg of L-ascorbic acid, and 0.13 kg of sodium bicarbonate, and then, the mixture was subjected to membrane concentration (NTR-759HG-S4F; produced by Nitto Denko Corporation; liquid temperature: 15° C.; pressure: 3 MPa) to give a Brix value of 30. After the concentration, Cluster Dextrin was added to a concentration of 2.29 wt. %. Finally, the mixed solution was sterilized under the conditions of 90° C. and 30 seconds to prepare a liquid tea leaf extract. The obtained liquid tea leaf extract was spray-dried to give a base powdered tea (powder).

[0145] Next, a tea leaf distillate was prepared by following the procedure described in (1-2), and the prepared distillate was additionally treated with activated carbon twice. The activated carbon treatment was performed by the following procedure: the wood-derived powder activated carbon mentioned above was added to the distillate to give a concentration of 100 ppm, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes; and after the activated carbon was removed, the same procedure was repeated. The distillate additionally treated with activated carbon was found to have a dimethyl sulfide concentration of 11504 ppb and a β-ionone concentration of nearly 0 ppb (below the limit of detection).

[0146] Then, 1.2 g of the above obtained powdered tea was added to 200 mL of water to prepare a powdered tea solution with a Brix value of 0.6 (a tea solids Brix value of 0.3). To the powdered tea solution, the distillate additionally treated with activated carbon, and a β-ionone reference standard were added to give such final dimethyl sulfide and β-ionone concentrations as indicated in the table given below, whereby different concentrations of samples were prepared. Since the β-ionone concentration in the reference standard was unknown, concentration measurement of the reference standard had been done by gas chromatography in advance. To be specific, the β-ionone reference standard was diluted with 50 to 5000 times its weight of pure water to adjust its concentration, as appropriate, to lie within the range of the calibration curve, whereby a sample for concentration measurement was prepared. The gas chromatographic analysis was done by following the same procedure as mentioned above.

[0147] The different samples prepared were subjected to sensory evaluation by three panelists who were well trained in aroma evaluation. The aroma quality of the samples was evaluated from the viewpoint of a green layer aftertaste felt as a last note, with a sample prepared from a powdered tea solution without addition of the distillate or a β-ionone reference standard being used as a control. The rating was done in a blind fashion in which the composition profiles of the samples were concealed from the panelists. In this sensory evaluation, the green layer aftertaste felt from the samples was rated from one (bad) to five (excellent) points, with half-point increments, and the ratings provided by the panelists were finally averaged. The different samples were rated on the basis of the rating for a sample (control) which was prepared simply by dissolving the powdered tea and was rated 3 points.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Dimethyl sulfide β-ionone Amount of Amount of Amount of β-ionone/ powder added distillate added Concentration standard added Concentration dimethyl (g) (μL) (ppb) (μL) (ppb) sulfide Rating Sample 1-1 1.2 3500 200 70 1 0.005 3.9 Sample 1-2 1.2 3500 200 300 4 0.021 4.2 Sample 1-3 1.2 3500 200 30 42 0.209 4.2 Sample 1-4 1.2 3500 200 22 31 0.153 4.3 Sample 1-5 1.2 3500 200 26 36 0.181 4.5 Sample 1-6 1.2 3500 200 51 71 0.354 4.3 Sample 1-7 1.2 3500 200 73 102 0.507 3.8 Sample 1-8 1.2 3500 200 100 139 0.695 3.7 Sample 1-9 1.2 3500 200 288 400 2.001 3.4 Sample 1-10 1.2 3500 200 504 700 3.502 2.8

[0148] Also, 1.2 g of the above-prepared (base) powdered tea was mixed with 0.8 g of a dextrin mixture (comprising 28.3 wt. parts of Sandek #30, 5 wt. parts of CAVAMAX W6, and 16.7 wt. parts of TK-16) to prepare a powder composition with an increased dextrin content. To the powder composition, 200 mL of water was added to prepare a powdered tea solution with a Brix value of 1.0 (a tea solids Brix of 0.3).

[0149] To the obtained powdered tea solution, the aforementioned distillate treated with activated carbon (dimethyl sulfide concentration: 11504 ppb, β-ionone concentration: below the limit of detection) and a β-ionone reference standard were added to give such final concentrations as indicated in the table given below, whereby different concentrations of samples were prepared. The prepared different samples were subjected to sensory evaluation by following the same procedure as described above. In this evaluation, the different samples were rated on the basis of the rating for a sample (control) which was prepared without addition of the distillate or a β-ionone reference standard and was rated 3 points.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Dimethyl sulfide β-ionone Amount of Amount of Amount of Amount of β-ionone/ powder added dextrin added distillate added Concentration standard added Concentration dimethyl (g) (g) (μL) (ppb) (μL) (ppb) sulfide Rating Sample 2-1 1.2 0.8 3500 198 15 21 0.106 4.3 Sample 2-2 1.2 0.8 3500 198 26 36 0.183 4.6 Sample 2-3 1.2 0.8 3500 198 50 70 0.352 4.6 Sample 2-4 1.2 0.8 3500 198 100 139 0.704 4.2 Sample 2-5 1.2 0.8 3500 198 288 400 2.026 3.3 Sample 2-6 1.2 0.8 3500 197 504 700 3.546 2.8

[0150] As shown in the above table, it was found that when β-ionone was contained in samples and moreover the weight ratio of β-ionone content to dimethyl sulfide content (β-ionone/dimethyl sulfide) fell within the specified range, excellent green layer aroma was sustained.