TEA EXTRACT

• US 20100021615A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KAO Corporation
• Original Assignee: KAO Corporation
• Inventors: Ueoka, Hideaki, Sato, Hitoshi, Shibata, Keiji
• Granted Patent: US 9,414,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/590
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 3/16 Tea extraction; Tea extracts; Treating tea extract; Making instant tea
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 3/163 Liquid or semi-liquid tea extract preparations, e.g. gels, liquid extracts in solid capsules
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 3/20 Removing unwanted substances A23F3/166 takes precedence; reducing or removing alkaloid content A23F3/38
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 3/205 Using flocculating or adsorbing agents
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/243 Liquid, semi-liquid or non-dried semi-solid coffee extract preparations; Coffee gels; Liquid coffee in solid capsules A23F5/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/52 Adding ingredients adding preservatives A23L2/44
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/105 Plant extracts, their artificial duplicates or their derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2200/16 Taste affecting agent
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/2116 Flavonoids, isoflavones

Abstract

This invention relates to a tea extract, which is reduced in bitterness, sourness and coarse taste, has a good affinity with various beverages, and contains non-polymer catechins that are highly stable in a sterilized beverage to which the tea extract is added.

A purified tea extract, including:

(1) non-polymer catechins (a) in a solid content accounting for from 45 to 90 wt. %;

(2) a percentage of gallate body in the non-polymer catechins being from 0.001 to 47 wt. %; and

(3) a weight ratio of a gallic acid/the non-polymer catechins being not greater than 0.3.

Claims

1. A purified tea extract, comprising non-polymer catechins;

wherein

a content of the non-polymer catechins in the solid content of the purified tea extract is from 45 to 90 wt. %,

a percent by weight of gallate body in the non-polymer catechins is from 0.001 to 47 wt. %, and

a weight ratio of gallic acid/non-polymer catechins is not greater than 0.3.

2. The purified tea extract according to claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of free amino acids/non-polymer catechins in the purified tea extract is not greater than 0.08.

3. The purified tea extract according to claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of (sucrose+glucose)/non-polymer catechins in the purified tea extract is not greater than 0.15.

4. The purified tea extract according to claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of caffeine/non-polymer catechins in the purified tea extract is not greater than 0.2.

5. The purified tea extract according to claim 1, wherein the purified tea extract is a green tea extract.

6. A food comprising the purified tea extract according to claim 1.

7. A beverage comprising the purified tea extract according to claim 1.

8. The purified tea extract according to claim 2, wherein a weight ratio of (sucrose+glucose)/non-polymer catechins in the purified tea extract is not greater than 0.15.

9. The purified tea extract according to claim 2, wherein a weight ratio of caffeine/non-polymer catechins in the purified tea extract is not greater than 0.2.

10. The purified tea extract according to claim 3, wherein a weight ratio of caffeine/non-polymer catechins in the purified tea extract is not greater than 0.2.

11. The purified tea extract according to claim 1, wherein the non-polymer catechins is a catechin or catechin mixture consisting of at least one material selected from the group consisting of a catechin, a gallocatechin, a catechingallate, a gallocatechingallate, a epicatechin, a epigallocatechin, a epicatechingallate and a epigallocatechingallate.

12. The purified tea extract according to claim 1, wherein the gallate body consists of at least one material selected from the group consisting of an epigallocatechingallate, a gallocatechingallate, an epicatechingallate and a catechingallate.