PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flavor improving agent which, when added in a very small quantity to fruit-flavored beverages or food products, in particular, beverages such as fruit juice beverages, processed fruit products such as jam, frozen desserts, fruit-flavored confections, and the like, can intensify the fruity taste that beverages such as fruit juice beverages, processed fruit products such as jam, frozen desserts, fruit-flavored confections, and the like have, e.g., rich notes such as a sensation of fruit juice or a sensation of fruit, a sensation of ripeness, depth of flavor, a sensation of body, thereby improving the balance of flavors, and which can be prepared easily and inexpensively.SOLUTION: A flavor improving agent for fruit-flavored beverages and food products comprises a heat-treated product obtained by heat-treating fruit juice at 100-180°C for 10 minutes to 5 hours.【課題】果実風味飲食品、特に果汁飲料などの飲料類、ジャムなどの果実加工品、冷菓、果実風味の菓子類などに極微量添加することで、果汁飲料などの飲料類、ジャムなどの果実加工品、冷菓、果実風味の菓子類などが有する、果実香味、例えば、果汁感や果実感、完熟感、味の厚み、ボディー感などのいわゆるコク味を増強し、バランスの改善をはかることができ、簡便に、安価に調製することのできる呈味改善剤を提供すること。【解決手段】果汁を１００℃～１８０℃にて１０分～５時間加熱処理して得られる加熱処理物からなる、果実風味飲食品用呈味改善剤。【選択図】なし
