Process for producing cold water soluble tea extract
First Claim
1. A process for producing a tea extract which contains solubilized tannins, the process comprising:
- i) extracting tea solids from tea leaves using an extraction liquid to provide a tea extract containing soluble tea solids and insoluble tannins;
ii) separating the insoluble tannins from the tea extract to obtain a clarified tea extract;
iii) oxidizing and solubilizing the tannins under raised temperature conditions to provide a solubilized tannin liquor; and
iv) adding the solubilized tannin liquor to the extraction liquid during extraction of tea solids from tea leaves in step i); and
v) collecting the clarified tea extract of step ii) to obtain a tea extract which contains solubilized tea tannins.
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Abstract
A continuous process for producing a tea extract which contains solubilized tannins and which has good color. Tea solids are extracted from tea leaves using an extraction liquid to provide a tea extract containing soluble tea solids and insoluble tannins. The insoluble tannins are separated from the tea extract and oxidized and solubilized under raised temperature conditions to provide a solubilized tannin liquor. The solubilized tannin liquor is either returned to the extraction liquid during extraction of tea solids or added to the tea extract after separation of the insoluble tannins. The tea extract which contains solubilized tea tannins is collected.
45 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A process for producing a tea extract which contains solubilized tannins, the process comprising:
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i) extracting tea solids from tea leaves using an extraction liquid to provide a tea extract containing soluble tea solids and insoluble tannins; ii) separating the insoluble tannins from the tea extract to obtain a clarified tea extract; iii) oxidizing and solubilizing the tannins under raised temperature conditions to provide a solubilized tannin liquor; and iv) adding the solubilized tannin liquor to the extraction liquid during extraction of tea solids from tea leaves in step i); and v) collecting the clarified tea extract of step ii) to obtain a tea extract which contains solubilized tea tannins. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A process for producing a tea extract which contains solubilized tannins, the process comprising:
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i) extracting tea solids from tea leaves using an extraction liquid to provide a tea extract containing soluble tea solids and insoluble tannins; ii) separating the insoluble tannins from the tea extract to obtain a clarified tea extract; iii) oxidizing and solubilizing the tannins under raised temperature conditions to provide a solubilized tannin liquor; iv) removing acids from at least a portion of the solubilized tannin liquor; and v) adding the solubilized tannin liquor to the extraction liquid during extraction of tea solids from tea leaves in step i); and vi) collecting the clarified tea extract of step ii) to obtain a tea extract which contains solubilized tea tannins. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A process for producing a tea extract which contains solubilized tannins, the process comprising:
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i) extracting tea solids from tea leaves in a series of inter-connected fixed-bed reactors using an extraction liquid to provide a tea extract containing soluble tea solids and insoluble tannins; ii) separating the insoluble tannins from the tea extract; iii) oxidizing and solubilizing the tannins under raised temperature conditions to provide a solubilized tannin liquor; and iv) adding the solubilized tannin liquor to the extraction liquid between one or more adjacent pairs of fixed-bed reactors of the series during extraction of tea solids from tea leaves in step i); and v) collecting the tea extract of step ii) which contains solubilized tea tannins. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification