Packaged beverages

Abstract

A non-tea-based, packaged beverage with a green tea extract mixed therein contains the following ingredients (A) and (B): (A) 0.06 to 0.5 wt. % of non-polymer catechins, and (B) 9 to 13.5 mM of citric acid or a salt thereof. Its pH is from 3.4 to 4.2. The non-tea-based, packaged beverage contains catechins at a high concentration, is reduced in bitterness and astringency, is suited for long-term drinking, and is excellent in the stability of bitterness and astringency and also in the feeling as it passes down the throat, and moreover, its color tone remains stable over a long term even when packed in a clear package and stored at high temperatures.

1 . A non-tea-based, packaged beverage with a green tea extract mixed therein, comprising the following ingredients (A) and (B): 
 (A) 0.06 to 0.5 % by weight of the beverage of non-polymer catechins, and    (B) 9 to 13.5 mM of citric acid or a salt thereof, wherein the pH of the beverage is from 3.4 to 4.2.    
     
     
         2 . The non-tea-based, packaged beverage according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sweetener.  
     
     
         3 . The non-tea-based, packaged beverage according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the weight ratio of the non-polymer catechins to caffeine is in a range of from 5 to 10,000.  
     
     
         4 . The non-tea-based, packaged beverage according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , wherein the total concentration of potassium ions and sodium ions is in a range of from 0.001 to 0.7 % by weight of the beverage.  
     
     
         5 . The non-tea-based, packaged beverage according to any one of claims  1 - 4 , which is a soft drink selected from a group consisting of sports drinks, isotonic drinks, fruit-juice containing drinks and vegetable-juice containing drinks.