Processing technology of gardenia tea

Abstract

The invention discloses novel gardenia tea and a unique processing method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of scented tea processing and natural plant beverage processes. According to the invention, high-quality large-leaf gardenia on sunny days is carefully selected as a raw material, and a modern biotechnology and a traditional tea making process are combined, so that the tea which retains the original natural fragrance and nutritional ingredients of the gardenia is researched and developed; meanwhile, the tea base and the gardenia are subjected to multiple times of scenting, and then the gardenia tea which is rich in faint scent, healthy in effect and unique in flavor is prepared. The gardenia tea disclosed by the invention has the product characteristics of faint scent tea flavor, rich and mellow taste, brewing resistance, no bitter and astringent feeling and clear and bright liquor color; the health-care effects of clearing away heat and toxic materials and soothing liver-qi stagnation are realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a novel processing technology and process for gardenia tea, belonging to the field of flower tea processing and natural plant beverage technology. Technical Background

[0002] The history of gardenia cultivation in my country is long and rich, with cultural records and cultivation practices dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties more than 2,000 years ago, integrating multiple dimensions of economic culture and aesthetics. Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), as a common ornamental plant, has flowers rich in volatile oils, flavonoids, polysaccharides, and other bioactive components, possessing extremely high medicinal and edible value. Gardenias exhibit diverse ornamental value and varieties, including large-leaf gardenia (double-petaled gardenia), French gardenia, Maitreya gardenia, sparrow tongue gardenia, and endless snow gardenia. Traditionally, gardenia flowers are used to extract essential oils or make traditional Chinese medicine, while the development of "gardenia flower tea" sold independently is relatively limited. Gardenia flower tea is not yet available on the market, mainly due to poor product quality, making it unacceptable to consumers; some processed gardenias are simply mixed with other beverages before being sold. Therefore, developing a scientific and efficient gardenia flower tea processing technology and process is of profound significance for broadening the application fields of gardenias and increasing product added value. Based on 28 years of experience in producing jasmine tea and several years of exploration and experimentation, in 2020, our Yeyuan Snowflake Tea Company successfully developed a "Gardenia Tea" made by scenting local large-leaf gardenia flowers with Sichuan green tea leaves and then baking it at a high temperature of about 120℃. The tea is of excellent quality and has been popularized in Sichuan after several years of promotion, becoming a unique flower tea variety in Sichuan. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to promote a processing technology for gardenia tea. This invention presents a novel gardenia tea processing method that is simple to operate and unique in its approach. It selects large-leaf gardenia flowers (also known as large-flowered gardenia) from Sichuan, which bloom at a uniform maturity during May and June, as raw materials. These flowers are scented with Sichuan green tea leaves 2-4 times. The resulting gardenia tea, processed using a TLD-200 tea dryer with timed and quantitative drying and meticulous extraction, exhibits excellent aroma retention and high quality. It can be used directly for brewing or as a primary ingredient in tea beverages. The finished tea of ​​this invention Its characteristics It has a fragrant aroma, rich and mellow flavor, is resistant to multiple infusions, has no bitterness, and a clear and bright tea liquor; it also has health benefits such as clearing heat and detoxifying, and soothing the liver and relieving depression. This invention discloses a processing technology for gardenia tea. Compared with existing technologies, tests show that it saves nearly 40% of gardenia flowers per 100kg of tea leaves, and improves the aroma and quality by more than 100%.

[0004] Embodiments of the present invention First, the key steps in processing gardenia tea must be designed, including important aspects such as raw material selection, processing, scenting, scenting times, and drying.

[0005] Instruction manual diagrams (attached) Example 1: Figure 1 This refers to the suitable scenarios for the large-leaved gardenia variety. Figure 2 This refers to the different scenting times and amounts of gardenia flowers used in various grades of gardenia tea. Example 2: Figure 3 This is a scene of gardenia tea processing. Figure 4 This refers to the processing technology of gardenia tea.

[0006] This invention relates to a new technology for processing gardenia tea. This invention, "Gardenia Flower Tea," inherits the traditional concept of food and medicine sharing the same origin. To overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention has developed a unique processing technique for gardenia flower tea that adapts to consumer market demands and reform needs. Its characteristics : (1) First, only fresh, large white gardenia flowers that are about to bloom are selected from the morning of a sunny day to avoid the disadvantages of gardenia flowers picked on rainy days having a serious loss of fragrance and the poor fragrance absorption of the selected tea leaves. (2) The gardenia tea processing technology of the present invention adopts the "drying and extraction" method in the last process, that is, "no frying" or "extraction" of flowers; that is, the wet tea blanks after the last scenting are dried and directly piled into boxes as finished products. The moisture content of the dried tea blanks after re-firing is controlled below 4%, and the moisture content of the finished gardenia tea is controlled below 8%. (3) It overcomes the bitterness, musty taste, weak aroma, and complex processing of gardenia tea. It fully preserves the floral fragrance and strong aroma of gardenia tea, and achieves the integration of "tea flavor and floral fragrance". (4) Through scientific processing, the quality and taste of gardenia tea are effectively improved, while its rich natural nutrients and health benefits are preserved. (5) This gardenia tea not only enriches the flower tea market, but also opens up new avenues for the comprehensive utilization of gardenia flowers, and has high economic and social value.

[0007] This invention introduces a new processing technique for "gardenia tea". The tea-making technique for "Gardenia Tea" in this invention is the successful result of several years of continuous exploration and experimentation by the inventor. The difference in the scenting process of this gardenia tea lies in the other processing steps and the persistence of the floral aroma, specifically the new technique of "directly drying the tea to a moisture content of 8% after scenting with the flowers." This technique promotes the development of Sichuan gardenia tea towards the high-end market, playing a significant role in improving quality and efficiency, and achieving high added value. The final step in the traditional Chinese gardenia tea processing is "intensification" to enhance the freshness of the aroma, but this process easily dissipates the aroma and the tea does not store well. The gardenia tea processing method of this invention involves drying the wet tea leaves after the final scenting process and directly piling and packaging them as the finished product; this is called the "drying and intensification" process. The resulting product has a dry tea moisture content of 7%-8%. The core of this invention lies in its advanced tea-making process for "Gardenia Tea". Its unique aroma and taste are its key features. Through meticulous processing, gardenia tea achieves the quality characteristics of "clear broth, rich flavor, refreshing taste, and lingering aftertaste." This new technological achievement fully demonstrates the inventor's pursuit of quality and inheritance of traditional culture, expands the value and potential of gardenia as both a food and a medicine, and highlights the unique "gardenia tea processing technology."

Claims

1. A processing technology implementation plan for gardenia tea. First, the key steps in processing gardenia tea must be designed, including important aspects such as raw material selection, processing, scenting, scenting times, and drying.

2. New technology for processing "Gardenia Tea" according to this invention The gardenia tea processing technology of this invention uses a "drying and extraction" method for the final step, which involves drying the wet tea leaves after the last scenting process and directly piling them into boxes as finished products. The moisture content of the dried tea leaves after re-firing is controlled below 4%, and the moisture content of the finished gardenia tea is controlled below 8%.

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