Tea granulation preparation method adopting boiling granulation technology

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of tea processing, and provides a tea granulation preparation method adopting a boiling granulation technology, which comprises the following steps: selecting raw materials, removing impurities, deactivating enzymes, drying, screening, chopping, granulating in a granulation device, taking out finished product granules and the like. According to the invention, airflow in the closed granulating device is controlled, so that primary coalescence of an adhesive and fine tea particles is realized, and then the coalesced tea particles are wrapped by a stabilizer, so that the stability of tea after boiling granulation is enhanced under the condition that the structure of the tea particles is not changed too much, and the tea quality is improved. And the stabilizer has good water solubility and does not influence the instant dissolving effect of the tea particles, so that the prepared tea particles are stable and beautiful in structure, are fast and convenient to drink, and are more suitable for modern tea operation requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tea processing, specifically to a method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology. Background Technology

[0002] Tea generally refers to the leaves and buds of the tea tree; tea processing, also known as "tea making," is the process of turning fresh tea leaves into various semi-finished or finished tea products through various processing steps; China is the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of tea, but traditional tea processing methods cannot adapt well to the fast-paced modern lifestyle. Therefore, tea granules have entered the public eye with their quick and convenient way of drinking.

[0003] Chinese Patent Publication No. CN102696811A discloses a method for preparing instant dark tea, comprising the preparation, extraction, filtration, enzyme extraction, concentration, sterilization, drying, granulation, and packaging of raw dark tea or golden flower dark tea. The key difference lies in the fact that after the filtration step, enzyme extraction is performed. A complex enzyme consisting of at least two single-element enzymes is added at 0.5%-0.8% of the tea weight to perform enzyme extraction. The enzyme mass percentage concentration is controlled at 0.3%-0.9%, the enzyme extraction time is controlled at 30-70 minutes, and the enzyme extraction temperature is controlled at 40-60℃. The method has the following advantages: high extraction rate of dark tea; preservation, improvement and enhancement of the original aroma and flavor of dark tea; solving the problem of "cloudiness after cooling" in products produced by existing technologies, avoiding the production of tea milk in instant dark tea powder, and laying the foundation for the development of functional instant tea products; containing a large amount of *Aspergillus cristatus*, making the product more effective in lowering lipids, weight loss and blood sugar; simple process and low production cost; however, the above method only uses dark tea concentrate as a binder to bind tea particles, and dark tea concentrate is difficult to maintain its adhesiveness after drying, resulting in poor structural stability of tea particles.

[0004] In summary, this invention provides a method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology to solve the above-mentioned problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology. By controlling the airflow in a closed granulation device, the binder and fine tea particles are initially aggregated, and then a stabilizer is used to coat the aggregated tea particles, thereby solving the problem of poor structural stability of tea particles in the prior art.

[0006] A method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology includes the following steps: S1, select appropriate amounts of tea leaves, edible flowers, fruits and grains to form raw materials, remove impurities from the raw materials, and perform fixation on the raw materials. Fixation refers to high-temperature treatment of tea leaves to inhibit fermentation. S2, put the raw materials into the dryer for drying. After observing that the moisture in the raw materials has been fully vaporized and evaporated, put the raw materials into the screening machine for screening. The purpose of screening is to remove foreign objects from the raw materials. S3, the screened raw materials are cut into fine powder, and then the chopped raw materials are put into the granulation device. Chopping the raw materials can effectively improve the mixing effect and granulation uniformity of the particles. S4. Hot air is introduced into the granulation unit using a circulating hot air generator, and then the binder is added to the granulation unit. The role of the hot air is to slow down the cooling rate of the binder. S5. Continuously observe the particle mixing inside the granulation device. When the binder and raw material powder are fully mixed and agglomerated into particle shape, stop introducing hot air into the granulation device and stop adding binder at the same time. S6, introduce ambient temperature airflow into the granulation unit, and then add stabilizer into the granulation unit. The ambient temperature airflow does not affect the cooling rate of the stabilizer. S7. After observing that the tea granules are fully coated and shaped by the stabilizer, stop the airflow and stabilizer addition in the granulation device, and take out the finished granules from the granulation device to obtain tea granules made by the fluidized bed granulation technology.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, in step S4, the adhesive is a food-grade polyvinyl alcohol solution with a concentration greater than 10%. To dissolve polyvinyl alcohol, it should first be added to room temperature water under stirring, dispersed evenly, and then heated to accelerate dissolution. This can prevent clumping and affect the dissolution speed.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, in step S4, the adhesive is heated by a heater before being placed into the granulation device, and the temperature of the adhesive when it enters the granulation device is 90-95°C.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, in step S4, the temperature of the hot air output by the circulating hot air generator is 70-85°C. The hot air is used to slow down the cooling rate of the adhesive, thereby preventing the adhesive from solidifying too quickly.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, in step S6, the stabilizer is a tamarind polysaccharide gum solution with a concentration of 1-3%. When the concentration of the tamarind polysaccharide gum solution is higher than 0.5%, its viscosity gradually increases, and the higher the concentration, the more rapidly the viscosity increases.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, in step S6, the stabilizer is heated by a heater before being placed into the granulation device, and the temperature of the stabilizer when it enters the granulation device is 85-90°C.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, in step S3, the raw material is pulverized using a shear pulverizer, and the particle size of the pulverized raw material powder is between 30 mesh and 100 mesh. The raw material powder is then pulverized using a shear crusher, and the particle size of the crushed raw material powder is between 20 mesh and 40 mesh, ensuring that the airflow at the bottom of the granulation device can blow up the raw material particles.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the granulation device includes a processing chamber. A protective cover is detachably connected to the top of the processing chamber, and a raw material chamber is detachably connected to the lower end of the processing chamber. An air inlet is provided at the bottom of the raw material chamber, and a guide pipe is detachably connected to the lower end of the air inlet. A backwashing device is located below the protective cover, and a baffle plate is located below the backwashing device. A filter bag is located in the middle of the baffle plate, and a spray head is located below the filter bag. A conveying pipe is located on one side of the spray head, and an air outlet pipe is located on one side of the processing chamber. The end of the air outlet pipe furthest from the processing chamber can... The system is equipped with a detachable airflow chamber. An air inlet pipe is detachably connected to the top of the airflow chamber. An air filter is located below the air inlet pipe, and an air heater is located below the air filter. A drain pipe is detachably connected to one side of the bottom of the airflow chamber. The delivery pipe is connected to an external device for delivering binders or stabilizers. The air inlet pipe is connected to a circulating hot air generator. A through-hole matching the size of the filter bag is opened in the middle of the baffle plate. The filter bag prevents tea particles from passing through while ensuring airflow within the processing chamber. A backwashing device is used to clean the filter bag and baffle plate to prevent clogging.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention controls the airflow in a closed granulation device to achieve initial agglomeration of the binder and fine tea particles. Then, a stabilizer is used to coat the agglomerated tea particles. This enhances the stability of the tea after boiling and granulation without significantly altering the particle structure. Furthermore, because the stabilizer has good water solubility, it does not affect the instant dissolution of the tea particles. The resulting tea particles are not only structurally stable and aesthetically pleasing, but also quick and convenient to drink, making them more suitable for the needs of modern tea businesses. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process of this invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the granulation device of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the granulation device of the present invention.

[0018] In the picture: 1. Processing chamber; 2. Airflow chamber; 3. Protective cover; 4. Raw material chamber; 5. Backwashing device; 6. Water baffle; 7. Filter bag; 8. Spray head; 9. Air outlet duct; 10. Air inlet duct; 11. Air filter; 12. Air heater; 13. Drain pipe; 14. Guide pipe; 41. Air inlet hole; 81. Conveying pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0020] like Figure 1-3 As shown, the present invention provides a method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology, comprising the following steps: S1. Select appropriate amounts of tea leaves, edible flowers, fruits, and grains as raw materials, remove impurities from the raw materials, and perform fixation on the raw materials. Fixation refers to high-temperature treatment of tea leaves to inhibit fermentation, maintain the inherent green color of the tea leaves, and at the same time reduce the moisture in the leaves and make the leaves soft. S2, put the raw materials into the dryer for drying. After observing that the moisture in the raw materials has been fully vaporized and evaporated, put the raw materials into the screening machine for screening. The purpose of screening is to remove foreign objects from the raw materials. S3, the screened raw materials are cut into fine powder, and then the chopped raw materials are put into the granulation device. Chopping the raw materials can effectively improve the mixing effect and granulation uniformity of the particles. S4. Hot air is introduced into the granulation unit using a circulating hot air generator, and then the binder is added to the granulation unit. The role of the hot air is to slow down the cooling rate of the binder. S5. Continuously observe the particle mixing inside the granulation device. When the binder and raw material powder are fully mixed and agglomerated into particle shape, stop introducing hot air into the granulation device and stop adding binder at the same time. S6, introduce ambient temperature airflow into the granulation unit, and then add stabilizer into the granulation unit. The ambient temperature airflow does not affect the cooling rate of the stabilizer. S7. After observing that the tea granules are fully coated and shaped by the stabilizer, stop the airflow and stabilizer addition in the granulation device, and take out the finished granules from the granulation device to obtain tea granules made by the fluidized bed granulation technology.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S4, the adhesive is a food-grade polyvinyl alcohol solution with a concentration greater than 10%. To dissolve polyvinyl alcohol, the polyvinyl alcohol should first be added to room temperature water under stirring, dispersed evenly, and then heated to accelerate dissolution. This can prevent clumping and affect the dissolution speed.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S4, the adhesive is heated by a heater before being placed into the granulation device, and the temperature of the adhesive when it enters the granulation device is 90-95°C.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S4, the temperature of the hot air output by the circulating hot air generator is 70-85°C. The hot air is used to slow down the cooling rate of the adhesive, thereby preventing the adhesive from solidifying too quickly.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S6, the stabilizer is a tamarind polysaccharide gum solution with a concentration of 1-3%. When the concentration of the tamarind polysaccharide gum solution is higher than 0.5%, its viscosity gradually increases, and the higher the concentration, the faster the viscosity increases.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S6, the stabilizer is heated by a heater before being placed into the granulation device, and the temperature of the stabilizer when it enters the granulation device is 85-90°C.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S3, the raw material is crushed using a shear crusher, and the particle size of the crushed raw material powder is between 30 mesh and 100 mesh. The raw material powder is then crushed using a shear crusher, and the particle size of the crushed raw material powder is between 20 mesh and 40 mesh, ensuring that the airflow at the bottom of the granulation device can blow up the raw material particles.

[0027] In one embodiment of the present invention, the granulation device includes a processing chamber 1. A protective cover 3 is detachably connected to the top of the processing chamber 1, and a raw material chamber 4 is detachably connected to the lower end of the processing chamber 1. An air inlet 41 is provided at the bottom of the raw material chamber 4, and a guide pipe 14 is detachably connected to the lower end of the air inlet 41. A backwashing device 5 is provided below the protective cover 3, and a baffle plate 6 is provided below the backwashing device 5. A filter bag 7 is provided in the middle of the baffle plate 6, and a spray head 8 is provided below the filter bag 7. A conveying pipe 81 is provided on one side of the spray head 8, and an air outlet pipe 9 is provided on one side of the processing chamber 1. The air outlet pipe 9 is located away from the processing chamber 1. The air chamber 2 is detachably connected to the top of the air chamber 2. An air inlet pipe 10 is detachably connected to the top of the air chamber 2. An air filter 11 is installed below the air inlet pipe 10. An air heater 12 is installed below the air filter 11. A drain pipe 13 is detachably connected to one side of the bottom of the air chamber 2. The conveying pipe 81 is connected to an external device for conveying binder or stabilizer. The air inlet pipe 10 is connected to a circulating hot air generator. A through hole matching the size of the filter bag 7 is opened in the middle of the baffle plate 6. The filter bag 7 prevents tea particles from passing through while ensuring airflow in the processing chamber 1. The backwashing device 5 is used to clean the filter bag 7 and the baffle plate 6 to prevent clogging.

[0028] Specific working principle: First, the raw materials cut into fine particles are placed into the raw material hopper 4. Then, the raw material hopper 4 is installed below the processing hopper 1. The bottom of the raw material hopper 4 is provided with an air inlet 41 that is large in the middle and small around the edges. The surface of the air inlet 41 is provided with a mesh to prevent particles from falling. When hot air enters the airflow hopper 2 through the air inlet pipe 10, it first passes through the air filter 11 for filtration, then passes through the air heater 12 to replenish heat, and then reaches the air inlet 41 along the guide pipe 14. The airflow continues to move upward and blows the raw material particles up.

[0029] At this time, the ventilation area of ​​the hot air is not larger in the center and smaller around the perimeter, resulting in the hot air in the center being larger than the surrounding area. This causes the raw material particles to rise in the center of the processing chamber 1. At this time, the conveying pipe 81 delivers adhesive to the spray head 8, so that the adhesive is sprayed downward from the spray head 8 and comes into contact with the raw material particles. Subsequently, the mixed particles settle from the part near the outer wall of the processing chamber 1, forming an up-and-down circulation of particles, achieving the purpose of uniformly expanding the particles. Although the particles formed after this process are relatively loose, the particle size is uniform and aesthetically pleasing.

[0030] Then, the hot air introduced by the air inlet pipe 10 is replaced with room temperature air, and the air heater 12 is turned off so that the formed granules are no longer heated by the air. At this time, the conveying pipe 81 delivers stabilizer to the spray head 8, so that the stabilizer comes into contact with the outer wall of the granules to achieve coating. The stabilizer gradually cools and solidifies in the processing chamber 1, and then the finished tea granules are produced.

[0031] Compared to existing technologies that only use concentrated black tea liquid as a binder, this invention controls the airflow in a closed granulation device to achieve initial agglomeration of the binder and fine tea particles. Then, a stabilizer is used to coat the agglomerated tea particles. This enhances the stability of the tea after boiling and granulation without significantly altering the structure of the tea particles. Furthermore, because the stabilizer has good water solubility, it does not affect the instant dissolution of the tea particles. The resulting tea particles are not only structurally stable and aesthetically pleasing, but also quick and convenient to drink, better meeting the needs of modern tea business.

[0032] The embodiments of the present invention are given for the purposes of illustration and description. Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1, Select appropriate amounts of tea leaves, edible flowers, fruits and grains as raw materials, remove impurities from the raw materials, and perform blanching on the raw materials; S2, put the raw materials into the dryer for drying. After observing that the moisture in the raw materials has been fully vaporized and evaporated, put the raw materials into the screening machine for screening. S3, the screened raw materials are cut into fine powder, and then the chopped raw materials are put into the granulation device; S4, hot air is introduced into the granulation unit using a circulating hot air generator, and then the binder is added to the granulation unit; S5. Continuously observe the particle mixing inside the granulation device. When the binder and raw material powder are fully mixed and agglomerated into particle shape, stop introducing hot air into the granulation device and stop adding binder at the same time. S6, introduce room temperature airflow into the granulation unit, and then add stabilizer to the granulation unit; S7. After observing that the tea granules are fully coated and shaped by the stabilizer, stop the airflow and stabilizer addition in the granulation device, and take out the finished granules from the granulation device to obtain tea granules made by the fluidized bed granulation technology.

2. The method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, the adhesive is a food-grade polyvinyl alcohol solution with a concentration greater than 10%.

3. The method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, the adhesive is heated by a heater before being placed into the granulation device, and the temperature of the adhesive when it enters the granulation device is 90-95°C.

4. The method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, the temperature of the hot air output by the circulating hot air generator is 70-85℃.

5. The method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S6, the stabilizer is a tamarind polysaccharide gum solution with a concentration of 1-3%.

6. The method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S6, the stabilizer is heated by a heater before being placed into the granulation device, and the temperature of the stabilizer when it enters the granulation device is 85-90°C.

7. The method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, the raw material is crushed using a shear crusher, and the particle size of the crushed raw material powder is between 30 mesh and 100 mesh. The raw material powder is then crushed using a shear crusher, and the particle size of the crushed raw material powder is between 20 mesh and 40 mesh.

8. The method for preparing tea granules using fluidized bed granulation technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The granulation device includes a processing chamber (1), a protective cover (3) is detachably connected to the top of the processing chamber (1), a raw material chamber (4) is detachably connected to the lower end of the processing chamber (1), an air inlet (41) is provided at the bottom of the raw material chamber (4), a guide pipe (14) is detachably connected to the lower end of the air inlet (41), a backwashing device (5) is provided below the protective cover (3), a baffle plate (6) is provided below the backwashing device (5), a filter bag (7) is provided in the middle of the baffle plate (6), and the filter bag (7) is located below... A spray head (8) is provided on one side of the spray head (8), an air outlet pipe (9) is provided on one side of the treatment chamber (1), an air flow chamber (2) is detachably connected to the end of the air outlet pipe (9) away from the treatment chamber (1), an air inlet pipe (10) is detachably connected to the top of the air flow chamber (2), an air filter (11) is provided below the air inlet pipe (10), an air heater (12) is provided below the air filter (11), and a drain pipe (13) is detachably connected to one side of the bottom of the air flow chamber (2).

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