Preparation process of green mesona jelly
By using high-temperature enzyme inactivation and freeze-drying technology to prepare green grass jelly powder, the browning problem of traditional grass jelly was solved, and the production of emerald green grass jelly was achieved, improving the product's appearance and taste.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511231066.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-30
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-28
AI Technical Summary
Traditional grass jelly turns brown due to the action of polyphenol oxidase, resulting in a dark brown color that fails to meet consumers' demands for color matching.
Enzymes are inactivated by high-temperature short-time treatment, and then freeze-drying is used to prepare green hyacinth powder. This process inhibits enzyme activity and forms a porous structure, preserving chlorophyll and cell structure while avoiding oxidation.
The resulting grass jelly is a beautiful bright green color with a soft and tender texture, making it suitable for high-value desserts while retaining the natural plant color and refreshing taste.
Smart Images
Figure CN120836639A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the technical field of grass jelly production, and in particular to a process for producing green grass jelly. Background Technology
[0002] Traditional grass jelly uses dried or powdered grass jelly as its main ingredient, which is made by boiling, filtering, and then adding starch or rice milk to solidify. Currently, grass jelly is typically dark brown, its color derived from the natural reaction of grass jelly polysaccharides after oxidation. With changing consumer preferences, there are higher demands for the appearance of grass jelly, and developing grass jelly that is more suitable for color matching with other foods is a current research focus. Summary of the Invention
[0003] This application provides a process for making green grass jelly.
[0004] The technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: A process for making green grass jelly is prepared by using green grass powder, which is prepared by the following steps: (1) Raw material acquisition: picking grass leaves and cleaning and disinfecting them; (2) Inactivation of active enzymes: The leaves of Mesona chinensis obtained in step (1) are treated at ≥90℃ for 80-120s to inactivate the active enzymes in the leaves, and then rapidly cooled to protect the chlorophyll. (3) Controlling moisture content: Freeze the Mesona chinensis leaves obtained in step (2) and then dry them under vacuum conditions to remove moisture from the Mesona chinensis leaves; (4) Crushing: The processed Mesona chinensis leaves in step (4) are crushed, passed through a 40-mesh sieve, and then ball-milled to obtain the green Mesona chinensis powder.
[0005] By adopting the above technical solution, the leaves of the herb *Mesona chinensis* are first rapidly and briefly treated at high temperature, which can quickly inactivate enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase, thereby preventing enzyme-induced browning. Furthermore, the short-term high-temperature treatment is beneficial for stabilizing the chlorophyll structure and can also cause cell wall rupture, which is conducive to the subsequent dissolution of effective components. Then, rapid cooling can prevent residual heat from continuing to damage chlorophyll and reactivate enzymes.
[0006] Mesona leaves are freeze-dried to control their moisture content. During the freeze-drying process, the leaves are rapidly frozen, inhibiting the activity of enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase. At the same time, the vacuum environment isolates oxygen and blocks oxidation reactions (such as the polymerization of quinones to form yellow-brown pigments), thus avoiding the yellow-brown discoloration phenomenon commonly seen in traditional drying. Furthermore, during the freeze-drying process, ice crystals sublimate to form a porous structure. After rehydration, the mesona powder can quickly absorb water and restore its texture to a near-fresh state, facilitating subsequent processing.
[0007] Therefore, in this application, green grass jelly powder is prepared by using fresh grass jelly leaves. Green grass jelly powder can be combined with other raw materials to prepare green grass jelly. Compared with the traditional dark brown grass jelly, the green grass jelly in this application has a more beautiful appearance, with natural plant color and refreshing taste. It is suitable for some high-value desserts, such as coconut milk and fruit pieces. In addition, it presents a natural and healthy green color, and has a soft and tender texture with a grassy aroma.
[0008] Optionally, sodium hypochlorite may be used for disinfection in step (1).
[0009] Optionally, in step (2), the concentration of sodium hypochlorite is controlled at 100-200 ppm.
[0010] By adopting the above technical solution and treating the leaves with sodium hypochlorite, the leaves of Mesona chinensis can be effectively cleaned and disinfected.
[0011] Optionally, in step (1), the harvested Mesona chinensis leaves are cooled to 2-6°C within 2 hours to reduce the activity of active substances in the Mesona chinensis leaves.
[0012] By employing the above-mentioned technical solution, the harvested grass jelly leaves are cooled to 2-6℃ within 2 hours. This effectively reduces the decomposition and browning of active substances while preserving nutrients and functional properties by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, slowing cell metabolism, suppressing microbial growth, and maintaining cell membrane stability. This step is crucial for obtaining green grass jelly powder and significantly improves the quality and freshness of the subsequent grass jelly.
[0013] Optionally, in step (3), a step-by-step drying process is performed at -40℃, 0℃, 15℃, 30℃, 45℃, 60℃, 45℃, and 30℃.
[0014] By adopting the above technical solutions, low-temperature pre-freezing and step-by-step heating reduce enzymatic browning and thermal degradation, retain active substances such as polyphenols and mesona polysaccharides, and maintain cell structure by using fine ice crystals and slow heating to prevent collapse and improve the rehydration properties of the subsequent green mesona powder.
[0015] Optionally, the ingredients of the green grass jelly may also include edible alkali, sodium D-isoascorbate, edible starch, and white sugar.
[0016] Optionally, by weight percentage, the raw materials include 5-7% green grass powder, 0.1-0.15% edible alkali, 0.3-0.4% sodium D-isoascorbate, 22-24% edible starch, with the remainder made up with white sugar.
[0017] Optionally, the weight ratio of the raw material to the water is 1:6.5-7.5.
[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, the prepared grass jelly has a good gel state and a delicate taste. The weight ratio of raw materials to water can be 1:6.5, 1:6.6, 1:6.7, 1:6.8, 1:6.9, etc.
[0019] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial effects: 1. In the preparation of green mesona powder, the mesona leaves are first subjected to rapid short-term high-temperature treatment, which can quickly inactivate enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase, thereby preventing enzyme-induced browning. The short-term high-temperature treatment is beneficial to stabilizing the chlorophyll structure and can also cause cell wall rupture, which is conducive to the subsequent dissolution of effective ingredients. Then, rapid cooling can prevent residual heat from continuing to destroy chlorophyll and reactivate enzymes. 2. The moisture content of mesona leaves is controlled by freeze-drying. During the freeze-drying process, the mesona leaves are rapidly frozen, inhibiting the activity of enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase. At the same time, the vacuum environment isolates oxygen and blocks oxidation reactions (such as the polymerization of quinones to form yellow-brown pigments), thus avoiding the yellow-brown discoloration phenomenon commonly seen in traditional drying. Furthermore, during the freeze-drying process, ice crystals sublimate to form a porous structure. After rehydration, the mesona powder can quickly absorb water and restore its texture to a near-fresh state, which is convenient for the subsequent preparation of mesona jelly. 3. The green grass jelly prepared from green grass powder has a bright green color and a soft and tender texture with a grassy aroma, making it suitable for a wider range of applications. Attached Figure Description
[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of green grass jelly powder; Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of existing brown grass jelly and the green grass jelly of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0021] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0022] Example 1 The preparation of green hyacinth powder includes the following steps; (1) Raw material acquisition: Pick fresh Mesona chinensis leaves and remove damaged, rotten, yellow, or insect-infested leaves; cool the picked Mesona chinensis leaves to 2-6℃ in a cold storage or refrigerated truck within 2 hours, and turn them over at least twice during the process to reduce overheating inside the leaves, which could cause yellowing or wilting; use a bubble cleaning machine to clean the Mesona chinensis leaves in step (1), and add sodium hypochlorite for disinfection, with the sodium hypochlorite concentration controlled at 100-200ppm; rinse multiple times with clean water to ensure that the sodium hypochlorite concentration reaches the specified value. In this step, cooling the picked Mesona chinensis leaves to 2-6℃ within 2 hours effectively reduces the decomposition and browning of active substances by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, slowing down cell metabolism, inhibiting microbial growth, and maintaining cell membrane stability, while preserving nutritional components and functional properties.
[0023] (2) Inactivation of active enzymes: The grass jelly leaves obtained in step (3) are blanched using a blanching machine at a temperature of 90℃ for 80-120 seconds. After blanching, the leaves are rinsed with ice water to rapidly cool them to ≤30℃. In this step, the activity of enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase is rapidly destroyed by the treatment at 90℃ for 80-120 seconds, preventing browning and nutrient loss. At the same time, the flavor and texture are adjusted. Rapid cooling with ice water terminates the enzyme reaction, fixes the color, removes impurities, and significantly improves the green color and taste of the final product, grass jelly.
[0024] (3) Controlling moisture content: The mesona leaves treated in step (2) are spread on an aluminum tray and frozen to ≤-25℃ for more than 2 hours. Then, they are dried at -40℃ for 5 hours using a vacuum freeze dryer. Then, the leaves are processed sequentially at 0℃ for 3 hours; 15℃ for 3 hours; 30℃ for 4 hours; 45℃ for 4 hours; 60℃ for 15 hours; 45℃ for 4 hours; and 30℃ for 4 hours to obtain mesona leaves with low moisture content. In this step, the process is divided into three key stages: pre-freezing, sublimation drying, and desorption drying. The water in the mesona leaves is frozen quickly to form small ice crystals, which fix the cell structure, prevent the ice crystals from being too large and damaging the cell wall, and maintain the green color and active ingredients in the mesona leaves. Then, the temperature is gradually increased to allow the ice crystals to sublimate slowly, remove most of the free water, and avoid structural collapse.
[0025] (4) Crushing: The dried Mesona chinensis leaves from step (3) are crushed and passed through a 40-mesh sieve. The material remaining on the sieve is crushed again, and then the material remaining on the sieve is ball-milled for ultra-fine grinding to obtain the green Mesona chinensis powder. The green Mesona chinensis powder is stored in an inner PE bag and an outer aluminum foil bag, with the storage temperature controlled below 15°C and humidity below 50%. (Refer to...) Figure 1 The resulting green herb powder is green in color.
[0026] Preparation of green grass jelly: Add 21.485g of the mixed powder to 150g of water, stir well, boil, and then cool to form a jelly to prepare the green grass jelly. The raw materials, by weight percentage, include 6.42% green grass jelly powder, 0.12% edible alkali, 0.37% sodium D-isoascorbate, and 23.27% edible starch, with the remainder made up with white sugar. The edible starch is selected from tapioca starch. (Refer to...) Figure 2 Traditional grass jelly is dark brown, while the grass jelly prepared in this application is green.
[0027] Example 2 The preparation process of the green hyacinth powder in this embodiment is the same as that in Example 1, except for the preparation of the green hyacinth jelly: Take 22.5g of the mixed powder, add 150g of water, stir well, boil, and then cool to form a jelly to prepare green grass jelly. The raw materials, by weight percentage, include 6.42% green grass jelly powder, 0.12% edible alkali, 0.37% sodium D-isoascorbate, and 23.27% edible starch, with the remainder made up with white sugar. The edible starch is selected from tapioca starch. Traditional grass jelly is dark brown, while the grass jelly prepared in this application is green.
[0028] Comparative Example 1 Compared with Example 1, the preparation process is the same in this comparative example. The difference is that in step (1), the harvested Mesona chinensis leaves are stored at room temperature without being cooled.
[0029] Comparative Example 2 The preparation process is the same as that of this comparative example and Example 1. The difference is that in the preparation process of the green herb powder, it is directly pulverized after being dried in a vacuum freeze dryer at -40°C for 42 hours.
[0030] Performance testing The color of the prepared green grass jelly was observed and recorded. 100 people were randomly selected to score the green grass jelly on the taste and grassy aroma. The score ranged from 1 to 10. The highest and lowest scores were removed and the average score was used to evaluate the taste of the green grass jelly.
[0031] Table 1 Results of Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-2 Exterior color Taste rating Example 1 Emerald green 9.3 Example 2 Emerald green 9.2 Comparative Example 1 dark green 8.8 Comparative Example 2 dark green 8.9 In this application, by improving and controlling the preparation process of green grass jelly powder, the decomposition and browning of active substances are effectively reduced by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase activity, slowing down cell metabolism, inhibiting microbial growth, and maintaining cell membrane stability. This preserves the green color of the grass jelly powder while retaining its nutritional components and improving its texture. Therefore, the green grass jelly prepared with green grass jelly powder is bright green, has an attractive appearance, and can be used to complement visually appealing desserts such as coconut milk and fruit pieces.
[0032] The above are all preferred embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, any equivalent changes made based on the structure, shape, and principle of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.
Claims
1. A process for making green grass jelly, characterized in that: It is prepared by using green grass powder, which is prepared through the following steps: (1) Raw material acquisition: Picking Mesona chinensis leaves and cleaning and disinfecting them; (2) Inactivation of active enzymes: The leaves of Mesona chinensis obtained in step (1) are treated at ≥90℃ for 80-120s to inactivate the active enzymes in the leaves, and then the temperature is rapidly reduced to protect the chlorophyll. (3) Controlling moisture content: The leaves of Mesona chinensis obtained in step (2) are frozen and then dried under vacuum conditions to remove moisture from the leaves; (4) Crushing: The processed Mesona chinensis leaves in step (4) are crushed, passed through a 40-mesh sieve, and then ball-milled to obtain the green Mesona chinensis powder.
2. The process for making green grass jelly according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (1), sodium hypochlorite is used for disinfection.
3. The process for making green grass jelly according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step (2), the concentration of sodium hypochlorite is controlled at 100-200 ppm.
4. The process for making green grass jelly according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step (1), the harvested Mesona chinensis leaves are cooled to 2-6°C within 2 hours to reduce the activity of active substances in the Mesona chinensis leaves.
5. The process for making green grass jelly according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step (3), a step-like drying process is carried out in sequence at -40℃, 0℃, 15℃, 30℃, 45℃, 60℃, 45℃ and 30℃.
6. The process for making green grass jelly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ingredients of the green grass jelly also include edible alkali, sodium D-isoascorbate, edible starch, and white sugar.
7. The process for making green grass jelly according to claim 2, characterized in that: By weight percentage, the raw materials include 5-7% green grass powder, 0.1-0.15% edible alkali, 0.3-0.4% sodium D-isoascorbate, 22-24% edible starch, with the remainder made up with white sugar.
8. The process for making green grass jelly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The weight ratio of the raw material to the water is 1:6.5-7.5.