Process for the decaffeination of tea
First Claim
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1. A process for the selective decaffeination of tea, comprising distributing in the tea, a charcoal adsorbing means operable to remove caffeine from solution in carbon dioxide;
- adjusting the moisture content of the tea to 15 to 50% by weight of water;
extracting the tea containing 15 to 50% by weight of water in a single step with moist carbon dioxide at 255 to 350 bar and at 50°
to 80°
C. in a pressure vessel thereby to extract the caffeine into the carbon dioxide and remove the caffeine from the carbon dioxide into the adsorbent; and
recycling the caffeine-free carbon dioxide over the already extracted tea and separating the carbon dioxide from the tea essentially without removing flavor, color or aroma from the tea.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a process for the decaffeination of tea containing 15 to 50% by weight of water with moist carbon dioxide at 255 to 350 bar at 50° to 80° C. in a pressure vessel, subsequent separation of the caffeine from the carbon dioxide with the help of an adsorbent and recycling the caffeine-free carbon dioxide over the already extracted tea, wherein the adsorbent is distributed in the material to be extracted in an amount of from 5 to 40% by weight, referred to the dry weight of the tea.
16 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A process for the selective decaffeination of tea, comprising distributing in the tea, a charcoal adsorbing means operable to remove caffeine from solution in carbon dioxide;
- adjusting the moisture content of the tea to 15 to 50% by weight of water;
extracting the tea containing 15 to 50% by weight of water in a single step with moist carbon dioxide at 255 to 350 bar and at 50°
to 80°
C. in a pressure vessel thereby to extract the caffeine into the carbon dioxide and remove the caffeine from the carbon dioxide into the adsorbent; and
recycling the caffeine-free carbon dioxide over the already extracted tea and separating the carbon dioxide from the tea essentially without removing flavor, color or aroma from the tea. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- adjusting the moisture content of the tea to 15 to 50% by weight of water;
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7. The process of claim 7 further comprising separating the adsorbent from the tea after the extraction by means of cyclone separation, air sifting, sieve classification or electrofiltration.
Specification