Process method for treating tea leaves and nutritional raw materials by adopting dry coating technology

Abstract

The invention provides a process method for treating tea leaves and nutritional raw materials by adopting a dry coating technology, and the process method comprises the following steps: S1, obtaining tea leaf particles and nutritional raw material particles, and performing low-temperature treatment and crushing preparation on the tea leaf particles and the nutritional raw material particles; s2, mixing the tea particles and the nutritional raw material particles in proportion to obtain mixed particles; s3, forming a functional coating film layer on the surfaces of the mixed particles by adopting a dry coating technology, wherein the coating film layer is used for regulating and controlling slow release of the active ingredients; s4, the coated mixed particles are loaded into a tea bag and sealed and packaged, and the nutritional tea bag is obtained.Dry-method coating treatment is carried out on the tea particles, the nutritional raw material particles or the composition of the tea particles and the nutritional raw material particles, and a functional coating film layer can effectively achieve the functions of keeping away from light, preventing moisture and masking taste; active ingredients in the granules are regulated and controlled to be slowly and stably released in a brewing system, so that the mouth feel and the actual nutritional value of the granules are improved.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of tea beverage processing, in particular to a process for processing tea leaves and nutritional raw materials by adopting dry coating technology. [Background Technology]

[0002] Nutritional tea is a beverage made from ground tea leaves or tea extracts, supplemented with ingredients with specific nutritional or health benefits (such as medicinal and edible ingredients), and scientifically formulated and processed. It not only provides hydration but also aims to supplement the body with vitamins, minerals, tea polyphenols, amino acids, and other nutrients, with the goal of regulating bodily functions and promoting health. For example, a tea made with green tea, dendrobium, and ophiopogon is believed to nourish yin, clear heat, benefit the stomach, promote fluid production, and relieve depression and restlessness. It is suitable for conditions such as insufficient stomach yin and dry stomach.

[0003] However, the current mainstream traditional nutritious tea preparation process typically involves simply mixing ground tea leaves or tea extracts with various nutritional ingredients in a proportional manner before directly making tea bags. This process has the following significant drawbacks, which seriously restrict the product's quality, efficacy, and promotion:

[0004] 1. Taste imbalance and flavor loss: Broken leaves and damaged cellular structures of nutrient ingredients during processing lead to rapid and excessive dissolution of bitter compounds like tea polyphenols and caffeine in the early stages of brewing. Meanwhile, volatile aromatic compounds like esters and alcohols are easily lost due to structural damage and high volatility. This results in a generally unpleasant taste experience of tea: strong and bitter in the first brew, then bland in the second.

[0005] 2. Unstable release of active ingredients and low bioavailability: Due to raw material fragmentation and a lack of control mechanisms, the release rate of various active ingredients (such as tea polyphenols and active substances in nutritional ingredients) during the brewing process is unstable and unpredictable. This instability directly affects their absorption efficiency in the human digestive tract, significantly reducing the actual nutritional value of the product.

[0006] 3. Poor storage stability and easy deterioration and inactivation: Tea and most nutritional ingredients themselves have many unstable factors in daily storage environment. These problems are more prominent after simple mixing, resulting in the rapid decline of the freshness, taste and nutritional value of tea bags with storage time. The specific manifestations are:

[0007] (1) Tea: Tea polyphenols are easily oxidized to form quinones, which cause the tea soup to turn brown and react with amino acids to affect the taste; lipids are easily oxidized and hydrolyzed to produce a rancid smell, affecting the color and taste of the tea soup.

[0008] (2) Nutritional raw materials: The active ingredients such as polysaccharides, alkaloids, and flavonoids contained in Dendrobium are sensitive to humidity, temperature, and light, and are easily degraded and lost at room temperature; the sugars, mucilage, and other ingredients contained in Ophiopogon japonicus are easy to absorb moisture, leading to oil exudation (oiling), causing softening, discoloration, and other deterioration of properties; the carotenoids contained in Lycium barbarum (such as β-carotene and zeaxanthin) contain multiple unsaturated conjugated double bonds and are easily degraded and isomerized by heat, light, and oxygen.

[0009] In summary, the existing traditional nutritional tea bag process has key problems such as poor taste experience, difficulty in ensuring actual nutritional and health benefits, and short product shelf life, which seriously hinder the widespread application of nutritional tea in the health beverage market and consumer recognition.

[0010] To address the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a process for treating tea leaves and nutritional ingredients using dry coating technology. This process can also be used to prepare nutritional tea with sustained-release properties, effectively resolving key issues faced by traditional nutritional tea bags during brewing and storage. [Summary of the invention]

[0011] In view of this, the present invention provides a process method for treating tea leaves and nutritional raw materials using dry coating technology. The process method implements dry coating treatment on tea particles, nutritional raw material particles or their combination, and forms one or more functional coating film layers in situ on the surface of the particles. The functional coating film layers can effectively achieve the functions of light protection, moisture protection, and taste masking, and regulate the active ingredients in the particles to achieve slow and stable release in the brewing system, thereby improving their taste and actual nutritional value.

[0012] In one aspect, the present invention provides a process for treating tea leaves and nutritional raw materials using dry coating technology, the process comprising the following steps:

[0013] S1: obtaining tea leaves and nutrient material particles, wherein the tea leaves and nutrient material particles are prepared by low-temperature treatment and pulverization;

[0014] S2: mixing the tea leaves and the nutrient material particles in proportion to obtain mixed particles;

[0015] S3: forming a functional coating layer on the surface of the mixed particles using dry coating technology, wherein the coating layer is used to regulate the sustained release of the active ingredient. The dry coating technology is achieved by forming a coating layer film on the surface of the mixed particles with a coating material polymer and an additive;

[0016] S4: putting the coated mixed particles into tea bags and sealing them to obtain nutritious tea bags.

[0017] According to the aspects and any possible implementation methods described above, an implementation method is further provided, wherein obtaining tea particles and nutrient raw material particles in S1 specifically includes: treating tea leaves with a low-temperature embrittlement technology and then crushing them to obtain the tea particles, and the particle size distribution of the tea particles is controlled within a preset range.

[0018] According to the aspects and any possible implementation methods described above, an implementation method is further provided, wherein obtaining the nutrient raw material particles in S1 specifically includes: using supercritical extraction and spray drying technology to process Dendrobium officinale and Ophiopogon japonicus as nutrient raw materials to obtain Dendrobium officinale extract particles and Ophiopogon japonicus extract particles.

[0019] According to the aspects and any possible implementation methods described above, an implementation method is further provided, wherein obtaining the nutrient raw material particles in S1 specifically further includes: using vacuum freeze drying and nano-grinding technology to process wolfberry as the nutrient raw material to obtain wolfberry particles, and the particle size distribution of the wolfberry particles is controlled within a preset range.

[0020] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, an implementation is further provided, wherein S1 specifically includes:

[0021] S11: obtaining green tea granules, Dendrobium officinale extract granules, Ophiopogon japonicus extract granules, and Lycium barbarum granules;

[0022] S12: uniformly mixing the green tea particles, the Dendrobium officinale extract particles, the Ophiopogon japonicus extract particles, and the wolfberry particles according to a preset ratio to obtain the mixed particles;

[0023] S13: Determine whether the ratio of the mixed particles meets the preset requirements by detecting the uniformity of the mixed particles.

[0024] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, an implementation is further provided, wherein S3 specifically includes:

[0025] S31: obtaining a functional coating material, wherein the coating material comprises a plurality of polymers and additives;

[0026] S32: preheating the mixed particles to a preset temperature through a fluidized bed device;

[0027] S33: using a spraying technique to evenly spray the functional coating material on the surface of the mixed particles;

[0028] S34: forming a stable coating layer on the surface of the mixed particles by the coating material through a curing process;

[0029] S35: Cooling the coated mixed granules to room temperature.

[0030] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, a further implementation is provided, wherein obtaining the functional coating material in S31 specifically includes:

[0031] S311: obtaining a coating material comprising dextrin, lactose, pullulan, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, ethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, acrylic resin, stearic acid, polyethylene glycol, trehalose, chitosan, glycerol, and silicon dioxide;

[0032] S312: Mixing the coating materials according to a preset ratio to obtain a coating material whose fluidity, anti-stickiness and antibacterial properties meet preset requirements;

[0033] S313: Determine whether the coating material is suitable for a dry coating process by detecting the physical properties of the coating material.

[0034] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, an implementation is further provided, wherein S33 specifically includes:

[0035] S331: Control the spraying speed through a segmented gradient spraying scheme, which is divided into a base coating layer, a main coating layer and a surface finishing layer;

[0036] S332: adjusting the spraying speed and spraying time according to the particle size and surface characteristics of the mixed particles;

[0037] S333: Determining whether the coating film layer meets a preset quality standard by detecting the uniformity and thickness of the coating film layer;

[0038] S334: During the spraying process, the inlet and outlet air temperatures are controlled to obtain a uniformly melted coating material.

[0039] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, an implementation is further provided, wherein S34 specifically includes:

[0040] S341: Processing the sprayed mixed particles at a preset curing temperature;

[0041] S342: Determining whether the mechanical strength of the coating film layer meets preset requirements by detecting the cross-linking degree of the coating film layer;

[0042] S343: Determine, based on the hydrophobicity of the coating film layer, whether the coating film layer has preset moisture-proof and light-shielding functions.

[0043] According to the above aspects and any possible implementation, an implementation is further provided, wherein S4 specifically includes:

[0044] S41: Obtaining the coated mixed particles;

[0045] S42: putting the coated mixed granules into a tea bag according to a preset amount;

[0046] S43: sealing the tea bag using a sealing technology to obtain the nutritious tea bag;

[0047] S44: Determine that the nutritional tea bag meets preset packaging requirements by detecting the sealing and integrity of the tea bag.

[0048] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve the following technical effects:

[0049] 1. The present invention can achieve stable release and optimize taste: The coating film acts as a controllable physical barrier, effectively regulating the dissolution rate of bitter substances such as tea polyphenols and caffeine, as well as various functional ingredients (such as active ingredients of nutrient raw materials) during the brewing process, making their release more gradual, stable and lasting. This not only significantly improves the imbalance of "strong and bitter in the first brew and bland in the second brew" in tea soup, making the overall taste more mellow, harmonious and full, but also reduces the premature dissipation of volatile aromatic substances, better preserving the aroma of the tea soup;

[0050] 2. The present invention can improve bioavailability: by controlling the release kinetics of the active ingredients in the brewing liquid (simulating the digestive environment), it makes them more consistent with the laws of human digestion and absorption, thereby improving the bioavailability of these ingredients in the body and maximizing their nutritional and health value;

[0051] 3. The present invention enhances storage stability and extends shelf life: The coating forms a physical barrier on the surface of the raw material particles, effectively isolating or reducing the effects of environmental factors such as oxygen, moisture, and light on the core contents (tea polyphenols, active nutrients, flavoring substances, lipids, etc.). Furthermore, the process is completely water-free. This significantly inhibits chemical reactions that lead to deterioration, such as oxidation, hydrolysis, hygroscopic oiling, photodegradation, and isomerization. This significantly improves the stability of tea and various nutritional ingredients under normal storage conditions, effectively protecting their nutritional activity, color, flavor, and appearance, and significantly extending the product's shelf life.

[0052] 4. The sustained-release dry coating process provided by the present invention fundamentally overcomes the drawbacks of the traditional nutritious tea bag process, provides a reliable technical guarantee for the production of high-quality, high-stability, and high-bioavailability nutritious tea products, and effectively promotes the healthy development of the nutritious tea industry.

[0053] Of course, any product implementing the present invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the above-mentioned technical effects at the same time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0054] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0055] Figure 1 It is a process flow chart provided by one embodiment of the present invention. [Specific implementation method]

[0056] In order to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] It should be understood that the embodiments described are only a portion of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0058] The terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular forms "a", "an", "the" and "the" used in the embodiments of the present invention and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0059] The present invention provides a process for treating tea leaves and nutrient raw materials using dry coating technology, the process comprising the following steps:

[0060] S1: obtaining tea leaves and nutrient material particles, wherein the tea leaves and nutrient material particles are prepared by low-temperature treatment and pulverization;

[0061] S2: mixing the tea leaves and the nutrient material particles in proportion to obtain mixed particles;

[0062] S3: forming a functional coating layer on the surface of the mixed particles using dry coating technology, wherein the coating layer is used to regulate the sustained release of the active ingredient. The dry coating technology is achieved by forming a coating layer film on the surface of the mixed particles with a coating material polymer and an additive;

[0063] S4: putting the coated mixed particles into tea bags and sealing them to obtain nutritious tea bags.

[0064] The step of obtaining tea leaves and nutrient material particles in S1 specifically includes: treating tea leaves with a low-temperature embrittlement technique and then crushing the tea leaves to obtain the tea leaves, wherein the particle size distribution of the tea leaves is controlled within a preset range.

[0065] The step of obtaining the nutrient raw material particles in S1 specifically includes: using supercritical extraction and spray drying technology to process Dendrobium officinale and Ophiopogon japonicus as nutrient raw materials to obtain Dendrobium officinale extract particles and Ophiopogon japonicus extract particles.

[0066] The step of obtaining the nutrient raw material particles in S1 specifically further includes: processing wolfberry as the nutrient raw material using vacuum freeze drying and nano-grinding technology to obtain wolfberry particles, wherein the particle size distribution of the wolfberry particles is controlled within a preset range.

[0067] Said S1 specifically includes:

[0068] S11: obtaining green tea granules, Dendrobium officinale extract granules, Ophiopogon japonicus extract granules, and Lycium barbarum granules;

[0069] S12: uniformly mixing the green tea particles, the Dendrobium officinale extract particles, the Ophiopogon japonicus extract particles, and the wolfberry particles according to a preset ratio to obtain the mixed particles;

[0070] S13: Determine whether the ratio of the mixed particles meets the preset requirements by detecting the uniformity of the mixed particles.

[0071] The S3 specifically includes:

[0072] S31: obtaining a functional coating material, wherein the coating material comprises a plurality of polymers and additives;

[0073] S32: preheating the mixed particles to a preset temperature through a fluidized bed device;

[0074] S33: using a spraying technique to evenly spray the functional coating material on the surface of the mixed particles;

[0075] S34: forming a stable coating layer on the surface of the mixed particles by the coating material through a curing process;

[0076] S35: Cooling the coated mixed granules to room temperature.

[0077] The step of obtaining the functional coating material in S31 specifically includes:

[0078] S311: obtaining a coating material comprising dextrin, lactose, pullulan, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, ethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, acrylic resin, stearic acid, polyethylene glycol, trehalose, chitosan, glycerol, and silicon dioxide;

[0079] S312: Mixing the coating materials according to a preset ratio to obtain a coating material whose fluidity, anti-stickiness and antibacterial properties meet preset requirements;

[0080] S313: Determine whether the coating material is suitable for a dry coating process by detecting the physical properties of the coating material.

[0081] The S33 specifically includes:

[0082] S331: Control the spraying speed through a segmented gradient spraying scheme, which is divided into a base coating layer, a main coating layer and a surface finishing layer;

[0083] S332: adjusting the spraying speed and spraying time according to the particle size and surface characteristics of the mixed particles;

[0084] S333: Determining whether the coating film layer meets a preset quality standard by detecting the uniformity and thickness of the coating film layer;

[0085] S334: During the spraying process, the inlet and outlet air temperatures are controlled to obtain a uniformly melted coating material.

[0086] The S34 specifically includes:

[0087] S341: Processing the sprayed mixed particles at a preset curing temperature;

[0088] S342: Determining whether the mechanical strength of the coating film layer meets preset requirements by detecting the cross-linking degree of the coating film layer;

[0089] S343: Determine, based on the hydrophobicity of the coating film layer, whether the coating film layer has preset moisture-proof and light-shielding functions.

[0090] The S4 specifically includes:

[0091] S41: Obtaining the coated mixed particles;

[0092] S42: putting the coated mixed granules into a tea bag according to a preset amount;

[0093] S43: sealing the tea bag using a sealing technology to obtain the nutritious tea bag;

[0094] S44: Determine that the nutritional tea bag meets preset packaging requirements by detecting the sealing and integrity of the tea bag.

[0095] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a process for treating tea leaves and nutritional raw materials using dry coating technology, the process comprising:

[0096] Step 1: Raw material preparation and processing

[0097] Tea ingredients:

[0098] 40-60 parts of Longjing green tea are selected, embrittled at -40°C, and then crushed using a vortex grinder. The powder is passed through a 200-mesh vibrating screen (pore size 75 μm) to control the particle size distribution: D50 = 60 ± 5 μm, D90 < 100 μm, which is conducive to preserving the tea aroma.

[0099] Nutritional ingredients:

[0100] 25-35 parts of Dendrobium officinale extract and 15-25 parts of Ophiopogon japonicus extract are extracted using supercritical CO2 followed by spray drying (pressure 250 bar, temperature 45°C, time 90 minutes, CO2 flow rate 20 L / h). This process reduces the decomposition of heat-sensitive components such as polysaccharides and flavonoids, resulting in stable microparticles with a particle size of 300-400 μm. 20-30 parts of Lycium barbarum are freeze-dried in a vacuum (pre-freezing temperature -40°C, vacuum sublimation stage operating pressure ≤ 0.1 mbar, condensation temperature -50°C), using low-pressure accelerated ice crystal sublimation to preserve the nutritional activity of heat-sensitive components such as vitamins and anthocyanins. The product is then ground using a nanomill to a D90 value of <50 μm.

[0101] Preferably, the sustained-release coating is made of one or more of the following raw materials in the following weight ratio: 10-30% dextrin, 20-40% lactose, 10-30% pullulan, 10-20% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, 10-30% ethyl cellulose, 20-30% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 5-15% acrylic resin, 1-10% stearic acid, 2-15% polyethylene glycol, 15-30% trehalose, 5-10% chitosan, 0.1-2% glycerol, and 1-5% silicon dioxide.

[0102] Step 2: Preparation

[0103] 1. Raw material preparation: Collect the crushed, dried and ground green tea, dendrobium, ophiopogon and wolfberry and set aside.

[0104] 2. Mixing: Mix the above particles evenly according to the proportion to obtain mixed particles.

[0105] 3. Dry coating: Spray the functional coating material evenly on the surface of the mixed particles, and use dry coating technology to coat them to form a coating film.

[0106] 4. Packaging: Put the coated mixed granules into tea bags and seal them.

[0107] The dry coating technology comprises the following steps:

[0108] 1. Equipment preparation: Glatt GPCG-5 fluidized bed (equipped with Wurster bottom spray tower)

[0109] 2. Preheating: Preheat the mixed particles to 40-50°C (preferably 40-50°C inlet air / 30-35°C outlet air, 5-10 minutes) to improve the adhesion of the coating material.

[0110] 3. Spraying: Spray the functional coating material evenly on the surface of the preheated mixed particles (preferably at 50-55°C inlet / 35-40°C outlet, 90-120 min) at a spraying speed of 0.5-1.0 g / min.

[0111] 4. Curing: Curing the sprayed mixed particles at 40-60°C for 1.5-2.5 hours to form a stable coating film.

[0112] 5. Cooling: The solidified mixed granules are naturally cooled to room temperature to obtain coated mixed granules.

[0113] Example 1

[0114] 1. Raw material preparation:

[0115] 40 parts of green tea granules, 30 parts of dendrobium extract granules, 15 parts of ophiopogon extract granules, 25 parts of wolfberry granules, and 20 parts of functional coating materials.

[0116] 2. Functional coating materials:

[0117] The coating formulation, composed of 10% ethyl cellulose, 15% hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, 3% polyethylene glycol, 5% chitosan, 8% acrylic resin, 3% stearic acid, and 2% silicon dioxide, exhibits excellent fluidity and anti-stick properties. The addition of chitosan also imparts antibacterial properties to the overall formulation.

[0118] 3. Preparation method:

[0119] The above particles are mixed uniformly according to proportion to obtain mixed particles.

[0120] Preheat the mixed particles to 40°C (inlet air 48-50°C / outlet air 30-32°C, 5 minutes). Within this temperature range, the particles can quickly achieve the preheating purpose while reducing the risk of thermal degradation of active ingredients such as polyphenols and polysaccharides during the preheating process.

[0121] The functional coating material is evenly sprayed onto the surface of the preheated mixed granules (inlet air 50-55°C / outlet air 35-38°C, 90 minutes). This temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air promotes powder melting on the granule surface while preventing chitosan from absorbing moisture and agglomerating. A segmented gradient spraying scheme is employed: spraying rates are (0-30 minutes): 0.8g / min (base coating), (30-60 minutes): 1.5g / min (main coating layer), (60-90 minutes): 1.0g / min (surface finishing layer). This prevents powder agglomeration while improving coating efficiency and reducing surface roughness of the coated granules.

[0122] The sprayed mixed particles are cured at 42°C for 2-2.5 hours to promote the complete migration of stearic acid to the membrane surface to form a hydrophobic layer. At the same time, chitosan and acrylic resin are cross-linked and cured to form a stable coating film.

[0123] The solidified mixed granules are naturally cooled to room temperature to obtain coated mixed granules.

[0124] The coated mixed granules are put into tea bags and sealed.

[0125] Example 2

[0126] 1. Raw material preparation:

[0127] 60 parts of green tea granules, 25 parts of dendrobium extract granules, 25 parts of ophiopogon extract granules, 20 parts of wolfberry granules, and 30 parts of functional coating materials.

[0128] 2. Functional coating materials:

[0129] The coating formula, composed of 30% ethyl cellulose, 20% carboxypropyl methylcellulose, 10% polyethylene glycol, 15% pullulan, 15% trehalose, 5% chitosan, and 5% silicon dioxide, has a high coating pass rate and excellent moisture resistance. The ethyl cellulose and pullulan form a double sustained-release layer, extending the release of nutrients. The addition of chitosan also imparts antibacterial properties to the overall formula.

[0130] 3. Preparation method:

[0131] The above particles are mixed uniformly according to proportion to obtain mixed particles.

[0132] Preheat the mixed particles to 45°C (inlet air 40-45°C / outlet air 30-35°C, 10 minutes). This temperature range can reduce the decomposition of heat-sensitive components. Extending the preheating time to 10 minutes can improve the adhesion of the coating in the next step.

[0133] Spray the functional coating material evenly onto the surface of the preheated mixed granules (50°C inlet / 35°C outlet, 120 minutes) at a rate of 0.6g / min. Reducing the spraying rate and extending the spraying time can improve coating uniformity and avoid uneven sustained-release rates caused by localized excessive thickness.

[0134] The sprayed mixed particles are cured at 55°C for 2 hours. This temperature can promote the cross-linking reaction between chitosan and cellulose materials and enhance the mechanical strength of the coating film.

[0135] The solidified mixed granules are naturally cooled to room temperature to obtain coated mixed granules.

[0136] The coated mixed granules are put into tea bags and sealed.

[0137] Working principle of the present invention:

[0138] This nutritious compound tea, formulated with green tea, dendrobium officinale, ophiopogon japonicus, and wolfberry, boasts health benefits such as nourishing yin and clearing heat, nourishing the liver and improving eyesight, benefiting the stomach and promoting fluid production, and boosting immunity. Dendrobium officinale, ophiopogon japonicus, and wolfberry all nourish yin, clearing away deficiency-heat and alleviating symptoms like dry mouth and restlessness. Wolfberry nourishes the liver and kidneys and improves eyesight, while dendrobium officinale and ophiopogon japonicus help nourish the liver and alleviate visual fatigue caused by long-term eye use. Dendrobium officinale benefits the stomach and promotes fluid production, while ophiopogon japonicus nourishes stomach yin, synergizing with wolfberry to alleviate stomach discomfort and promote digestion.

[0139] The above composite formula is optimized by using coating technology, and one or more layers of film with specific properties are coated on the mixed nutritional particles, which can effectively isolate or reduce the effects of environmental factors such as oxygen, moisture, and light on the core contents (tea polyphenols, polysaccharides, flavonoids, flavor substances, lipids, etc.), and play the role of masking taste, anti-oxidation, anti-hydrolysis, and anti-photolysis, effectively protecting the nutritional activity of the core contents and extending the storage time. The coating material can swell to form a gel layer when it comes into contact with water. The coating layer is specially designed to allow water to penetrate and form a high osmotic pressure solution inside the coating layer. On the one hand, the nutrients in the core contents are released by diffusion through the gel layer, and on the other hand, driven by osmotic pressure, they are continuously released as the coating material gradually dissolves. This dual release mechanism achieves a sustained release effect of nutrients. The use of sustained-release coating technology allows the nutritional tea to maintain a stable and rich taste. At the same time, the nutrients are gradually absorbed by the human body through slow release, thereby improving their bioavailability.

[0140] The present invention utilizes a unique dry coating technology. Dry coating involves directly forming a film of the coating material on the surface of the material. This process forms a coating layer under the influence of pressure, static electricity, or a dry adhesive. Compared to traditional wet coating, dry coating prevents the destruction or interference of nutrients caused by factors such as moisture and high temperature during the coating process, making it particularly suitable for coating water-labile substances. It also shortens coating time, eliminates pollution caused by organic solvent emissions, avoids fire and explosion hazards, and reduces investment in solvent recovery equipment.

[0141] Verification of the technical effect of the present invention:

[0142] 1. Verification of nutrient release performance (GB / T 30483)

[0143] When brewing with 100℃ pure water, the release rate of nutrients was measured comparatively:

[0144] Comparative example: Traditional process: No coating process

[0145] Example: Process of the present invention: using dry coating process

[0146]

[0147] Conclusion: The dissolution rate of nutrients in water using the process of the present invention is more stable, making the taste of the nutritious tea more uniform and stable, and the nutrient absorption effect is better.

[0148] 2. Storage stability (40°C / RH75%, 90 days) verification:

[0149] Comparative example: Traditional process: No coating process

[0150] Example: Process of the present invention: using dry coating process

[0151]

[0152]

[0153] Conclusion: The retention rate of nutritional active ingredients is higher when using the process of the present invention.

[0154] Therefore, in summary, different from the wet coating technology commonly used in existing solid pharmaceutical preparations, the dry coating process of the present invention has no solvent (especially water) involved in its coating formulation composition and the entire coating operation process. This anhydrous process characteristic, in particular, avoids the influence of a wet environment, can significantly improve and effectively maintain the stability of active nutrients that are sensitive to humidity. In particular, the functional coating film layer therein can effectively achieve light-proof, moisture-proof, and taste-masking functions, and regulates the active ingredients in the particles to achieve slow and stable release in the brewing system, thereby improving its mouthfeel and actual nutritional value.

[0155] The above is a detailed introduction to the process for treating tea leaves and nutrient materials using dry coating technology provided in the examples of this application. The description of the above examples is only intended to help understand the method and core concept of this application; at the same time, those skilled in the art will find that the specific implementation methods and application scopes may vary based on the concept of this application. In summary, the contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0156] For example, certain words are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art should understand that hardware manufacturers may use different nouns to refer to the same component. This specification and claims do not use differences in names as a way to distinguish components, but use differences in the functions of components as the criteria for distinction. For example, "including" and "comprising" mentioned throughout the specification and claims are open-ended terms, so they should be interpreted as "including / including but not limited to". "Approximately" means that within an acceptable error range, those skilled in the art can solve the technical problems within a certain error range and basically achieve the technical effects. The subsequent description in the specification is a preferred embodiment of the present application, but the description is for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present application, and is not used to limit the scope of the present application. The scope of protection of the present application shall be as defined in the attached claims.

[0157] It should also be noted that the terms "include," "comprises," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a product or system comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such product or system. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the product or system comprising the element.

[0158] It should be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein is merely a description of the relationship between associated objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0159] The above description shows and describes several preferred embodiments of the present application. However, as previously mentioned, it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the form disclosed herein and should not be construed as excluding other embodiments. Instead, the present application can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and can be modified within the scope of the application concept described herein through the above teachings or technology or knowledge in the relevant field. Modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present application should be protected by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A process for treating tea leaves and nutrient materials using dry coating technology, characterized in that: The process comprises the following steps: S1: obtaining tea leaves and nutrient material particles, wherein the tea leaves and nutrient material particles are prepared by low-temperature treatment and pulverization; S2: mixing the tea leaves and the nutrient material particles in proportion to obtain mixed particles; S3: forming a functional coating layer on the surface of the mixed particles using dry coating technology, wherein the coating layer is used to regulate the sustained release of the active ingredient. The dry coating technology is achieved by forming a coating layer film on the surface of the mixed particles with a coating material polymer and an additive; S4: putting the coated mixed particles into tea bags and sealing them to obtain nutritious tea bags.

2. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of obtaining tea leaves and nutrient material particles in S1 specifically includes: treating tea leaves with a low-temperature embrittlement technique and then crushing the tea leaves to obtain the tea leaves, wherein the particle size distribution of the tea leaves is controlled within a preset range.

3. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of obtaining the nutrient raw material particles in S1 specifically includes: using supercritical extraction and spray drying technology to process Dendrobium officinale and Ophiopogon japonicus as nutrient raw materials to obtain Dendrobium officinale extract particles and Ophiopogon japonicus extract particles.

4. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of obtaining the nutrient raw material particles in S1 specifically further includes: processing wolfberry as the nutrient raw material using vacuum freeze drying and nano-grinding technology to obtain wolfberry particles, wherein the particle size distribution of the wolfberry particles is controlled within a preset range.

5. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that: Said S1 specifically includes: S11: obtaining green tea granules, Dendrobium officinale extract granules, Ophiopogon japonicus extract granules, and Lycium barbarum granules; S12: uniformly mixing the green tea particles, the Dendrobium officinale extract particles, the Ophiopogon japonicus extract particles, and the wolfberry particles according to a preset ratio to obtain the mixed particles; S13: Determine whether the ratio of the mixed particles meets the preset requirements by detecting the uniformity of the mixed particles.

6. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The S3 specifically includes: S31: obtaining a functional coating material, wherein the coating material comprises a plurality of polymers and additives; S32: preheating the mixed particles to a preset temperature through a fluidized bed device; S33: using a spraying technique to evenly spray the functional coating material on the surface of the mixed particles; S34: forming a stable coating layer on the surface of the mixed particles by the coating material through a curing process; S35: Cooling the coated mixed granules to room temperature.

7. The process according to claim 6, characterized in that: The step of obtaining the functional coating material in S31 specifically includes: S311: obtaining a coating material comprising dextrin, lactose, pullulan, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, ethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, acrylic resin, stearic acid, polyethylene glycol, trehalose, chitosan, glycerol, and silicon dioxide; S312: Mixing the coating materials according to a preset ratio to obtain a coating material whose fluidity, anti-stickiness and antibacterial properties meet preset requirements; S313: Determine whether the coating material is suitable for a dry coating process by detecting the physical properties of the coating material.

8. The process according to claim 6, characterized in that: The S33 specifically includes: S331: Control the spraying speed through a segmented gradient spraying scheme, which is divided into a base coating layer, a main coating layer and a surface finishing layer; S332: adjusting the spraying speed and spraying time according to the particle size and surface characteristics of the mixed particles; S333: Determining whether the coating film layer meets a preset quality standard by detecting the uniformity and thickness of the coating film layer; S334: During the spraying process, the inlet and outlet air temperatures are controlled to obtain a uniformly melted coating material.

9. The process according to claim 6, characterized in that: The S34 specifically includes: S341: Processing the sprayed mixed particles at a preset curing temperature; S342: Determining whether the mechanical strength of the coating film layer meets preset requirements by detecting the cross-linking degree of the coating film layer; S343: Determine, based on the hydrophobicity of the coating film layer, whether the coating film layer has preset moisture-proof and light-shielding functions.

10. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The S4 specifically includes: S41: Obtaining the coated mixed particles; S42: putting the coated mixed granules into a tea bag according to a preset amount; S43: sealing the tea bag using a sealing technology to obtain the nutritious tea bag; S44: Determine that the nutritional tea bag meets preset packaging requirements by detecting the sealing and integrity of the tea bag.

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