A tea saponin-chickpea broth compound powder, a preparation method and application thereof
By using a spray-dried composite powder preparation method of tea saponin and chickpea juice, the stability and cost issues of light cream have been solved, providing a highly stable, low-cost, green and healthy plant-based cream product.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUANGDONG VOCATIONAL COLLEGE OF SCI & TRADE
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
Existing whipping cream products require the addition of synthetic surfactants to stabilize the network structure. Animal cream is expensive and not suitable for people with lactose intolerance. Hydrogenated vegetable cream contains trans fatty acids and does not make full use of the by-products of camellia seed meal and chickpea juice.
By mixing tea saponins and chickpea juice, a composite powder is made using a spray-drying process. Consumers can then reconstitute it with water and add vegetable oil to whip it, forming a stable plant-based butter.
This product achieves highly stable cream without synthetic additives, reducing production costs, improving foaming properties and foam stability, aligning with green and healthy trends, facilitating storage and transportation, and extending shelf life.
Smart Images
Figure CN122139897A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, specifically to a tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology
[0002] Whipping cream is a typical oil-in-water emulsion. Whipping and aerating it causes some of the fat to aggregate, forming fat bridges that bind together and create a relatively rigid network structure that traps air bubbles. Currently, commercially available creams, whether animal-based or hydrogenated vegetable fat cream, require the addition of synthetic surfactants to stabilize this network structure. Furthermore, animal-based whipping cream has a higher production cost, is unsuitable for people with lactose intolerance, and faces issues related to carbon emissions and animal welfare; while hydrogenated vegetable fat cream, although cheaper, contains trans fatty acids, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
[0003] Camellia oleifera seeds are the seeds of the fruit of the Camellia oleifera tree, a woody plant, and are considered one of the world's four major woody oil crops, along with olive, oil palm, and coconut. Camellia oleifera seed meal is a byproduct of camellia seed oil extraction and is currently mainly used as fuel and agricultural fertilizer. In fact, camellia oleifera seed meal contains various active ingredients, among which tea saponin is a characteristic component, accounting for 15%-20% of the meal. As a high-performance natural nonionic surfactant, tea saponin possesses excellent emulsifying and foaming properties. Its application in the preparation of light cream not only has the potential to improve foaming properties but also represents an effective way to achieve high-value-added utilization of camellia oleifera seed processing byproducts.
[0004] Chickpeas are the world's third most produced edible legume. Chickpea juice refers to the liquid remaining after boiling chickpeas until soft or cooked, and is a byproduct of chickpea processing. In chickpea food processing, a boiling process is frequently involved, with a chickpea / water ratio typically between 1:1 and 1:10. After boiling, the chickpeas are collected to make various chickpea products, but a large amount of the remaining juice is discarded because it has not yet been developed for use, increasing the wastewater treatment costs for companies. In fact, chickpea juice contains relatively rich surfactants, including proteins, saponins, and soluble polysaccharides, thus possessing good interfacial activity and stability, and has the potential to stabilize light cream.
[0005] The prior art CN 117322477A discloses a method for preparing natural plant-based whipping cream using chickpea cooking residue, but the product is liquid cream, which requires the addition of oil and homogenization in the industrial process, making storage and transportation inconvenient. Moreover, it only uses protein content as a single standardized indicator and does not involve the synergistic effect with other natural surfactants. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder, its preparation method, and its application. This composite powder is made by mixing tea saponin and chickpea juice, followed by spray drying. Consumers can reconstitute it with water, add vegetable oil, and whip it to obtain a plant-based butter with significantly better performance than the original chickpea juice.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:
[0008] A tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder is prepared by mixing and spray drying tea saponin and chickpea juice; the mass ratio of tea saponin to chickpea juice is 0.5-20:100, preferably 2-10:100. The chickpea juice is unconcentrated or undiluted chickpea juice.
[0009] Furthermore, the tea saponin is derived from camellia seed meal, a byproduct of camellia seed oil extraction, with a purity of 60-95%, preferably 80-90%.
[0010] Furthermore, the chickpea juice is derived from the residual juice of a company boiling chickpeas, the residual juice after consuming canned chickpeas, or the residual juice of homemade chickpeas. It does not require standardized processing such as concentration or dilution and can be used directly.
[0011] Furthermore, the tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder has a protein content of 5-9 wt%, a total saponin content of 2-50 wt%, a water content of ≤5 wt%, and a powder particle size of 10-50 μm.
[0012] Furthermore, after the obtained tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder is reconstituted with water, consumers can add vegetable oil and whip it themselves to obtain plant-based butter with foaming properties ≥150%, foam stability ≥95%, and average droplet size ≤1.2 μm. Its whipping performance is significantly better than that of soy juice concentrate powder with the same protein content.
[0013] A method for preparing a tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder includes the following steps:
[0014] Step 1: Mixing: Mix chickpea juice and tea saponin at a mass ratio of 0.5-20:100, stir well to obtain a mixture;
[0015] Step 2, spray drying: The mixture obtained in Step 1 is spray dried with an inlet air temperature of 130-190°C, an outlet air temperature of 80-100°C, a feed flow rate of 5-30 L / h, and an atomizer speed of 10000-30000 rpm. The tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder is collected.
[0016] The present invention relates to the application of chickpea juice-tea saponin composite powder in the preparation of plant-based cream, milk foam, ice cream, baked goods, or tea drinks.
[0017] A method for preparing vegetable-based butter includes the following steps:
[0018] Step 1, Reconstitution: Dissolve the composite powder in water to obtain a reconstituted solution, wherein the protein content is 0.5-5 wt% and the total saponin content is 0.5-5 wt%.
[0019] Step 2: Add oil: Add vegetable oil to the reconstituted solution. The amount of vegetable oil added is 0-75% of the weight of the reconstituted solution, preferably 10%-75%. Mix well to obtain a pre-emulsion.
[0020] Step 3: Whipping: Whip the pre-emulsion at 1000-10000 rpm for 2-10 minutes to obtain vegetable-based butter.
[0021] The above method yields vegetable-based butter with a foaming capacity ≥150%, foam stability ≥95%, and an average droplet size ≤1.2 μm.
[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are:
[0023] 1. Synergistic effect enhances product stability: Through mixing and spray drying processes, tea saponins and soy protein form a stable complex. The foaming properties and foam stability of the cream obtained after reconstitution and whipping are superior to those of soy milk powder with the same protein content, with foaming properties increased by more than 40% and foam stability increased by more than 10%.
[0024] 2. Simplified process to reduce costs and increase efficiency: Direct use of unprocessed chickpea juice avoids concentration or dilution processes, simplifies the process, reduces production costs, and preserves the original flavor of the chickpea juice.
[0025] 3. Powder form facilitates storage and transportation: The product of this invention is in powder form, which facilitates storage and transportation and has a shelf life of 12-18 months. Consumers only need to add water to reconstitute, add oil and whip, making it flexible and convenient to use.
[0026] 4. Dual by-products promote circular economy: Simultaneously utilizing by-products from camellia seed processing (tea saponin) and chickpea processing (soybean juice) enables high-value utilization of agricultural by-products, which aligns with the concepts of circular economy and sustainable development.
[0027] 5. Green and safe, in line with health trends: The product is free of trans fatty acids, animal-derived ingredients, and artificial additives, meeting the trends of clean label and plant-based foods. Tea saponins also give the product natural antibacterial properties, which can extend the shelf life of the whipped product. Attached Figure Description
[0028] Figure 1 Particle size distribution of emulsions after reconstitution of different samples
[0029] Figure 2 A comparison chart of the foaming properties and foam stability of cream obtained by reconstituted and whipped cream from different samples.
[0030] Figure 3 A comparison chart of colony counts in different sample reconstitution systems.
[0031] Figure 4 Microscopic images of whipped cream foam from Example 1 (left) and Comparative Example 1 (right). Detailed Implementation
[0032] The following describes specific embodiments of the present invention. These descriptions are intended to help understand the present invention. The described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the present invention.
[0033] Example 1
[0034] (1) Raw material preparation: Collect the residual juice after the enterprise boils chickpeas, without any concentration or dilution treatment; take tea saponin with a purity of 80% for later use.
[0035] (2) Mixing: Mix 500 g chickpea juice with 10 g tea saponin and stir well to obtain a mixture.
[0036] (3) Spray drying: The mixture was spray dried at an inlet air temperature of 160°C, an outlet air temperature of 90°C, and a feed flow rate of 15 L / h, and the resulting composite powder was collected. The obtained powder had a protein content of 7%, a tea saponin content of 15%, and a moisture content of 3%.
[0037] Example 2
[0038] (1) Raw material preparation: Collect the remaining juice after eating canned chickpeas, without any concentration or dilution treatment; take tea saponin with a purity of 80% for later use.
[0039] (2) Mixing: Mix 500 g chickpea juice with 25 g tea saponin and stir well to obtain a mixture.
[0040] (3) Spray drying: The mixture was spray dried at an inlet air temperature of 130°C, an outlet air temperature of 80°C, and a feed flow rate of 10 L / h to obtain composite powder. The obtained powder had a protein content of 8%, a tea saponin content of 40%, and a moisture content of 4%.
[0041] Example 3
[0042] (1) Raw material preparation: Collect the residual juice of homemade chickpeas (cook chickpeas:water = 1:3), without any concentration or dilution treatment; take tea saponin with a purity of 80% for later use.
[0043] (2) Mixing: Mix 500 g chickpea juice with 25 g tea saponin and stir well to obtain a mixture.
[0044] (3) Spray drying: The mixture was spray dried at an inlet air temperature of 110°C, an outlet air temperature of 90°C, and a feed flow rate of 8 L / h, and the resulting composite powder was collected. The obtained powder had a protein content of 6%, a tea saponin content of 43%, and a moisture content of 4%.
[0045] Comparative Example 1
[0046] The chickpea juice (without added tea saponin) used in Example 1 was directly spray-dried to obtain the original chickpea juice powder. The drying conditions were the same as in Example 1.
[0047] Comparative Example 2
[0048] The soybean juice concentrate powder prepared from 500 g of chickpea juice in Example 1 was mixed with 10 g of tea saponin powder (purity 80%) by dry physical mixing to obtain a physically mixed powder.
[0049] Comparative Example 3
[0050] Following the method described in CN 117322477 A, chickpea juice was concentrated to a protein content of 2.5 wt% (standardized treatment), without the addition of tea saponins, and then spray-dried to collect the powder. The drying conditions were the same as in Example 1.
[0051] Experimental Example 1: Determination of Particle Size of Reconstituted Product
[0052] The particle size of the complex of soy milk and tea saponin after reconstitution was determined using a nanoparticle size analyzer. The results are as follows: Figure 1 As shown.
[0053] from Figure 1 As can be seen from the data, the particle size of the complexes obtained in Examples 1-3 is larger than that of pure soy juice (Comparative Examples 1 and 3). Compared with the physically mixed samples, the particle size of the samples obtained in the examples is more uniform. This indicates that tea saponins and the contents of soy juice form a stable complex during the mixing and spray drying process, which is of great significance for improving the stability of light cream.
[0054] Experimental Example 2: Comparison of Foaming Properties and Foam Stability
[0055] The experiment was conducted using flat-bottomed glass test tubes of uniform specifications. Each sample contained 20 g of material and was whipped using a high-speed disperser (5400 rpm, 5 min). The height of the sample before whipping was recorded as h0, and the immediate height after whipping was recorded as h1. The samples were then sealed with plastic wrap and allowed to stand at room temperature for 12 h. During the standing process, the samples were photographed and the foam height was measured and recorded as h. t The foaming property (F) of the sample is calculated according to formula (1), and the foam stability (S) after being left for a period of time is calculated according to formula (2).
[0056]
[0057]
[0058] F – The foaming property of butter, %;
[0059] h0 — Height of the cream before whipping, in cm;
[0060] h1 – Height of the whipped cream, in cm;
[0061] S—Foam stability of cream, %;
[0062] h t The height of the cream foam after it has been left for a period of time, in cm.
[0063] Figure 2 It can be seen that the light cream prepared in Examples 1-3 has better foaming properties and foam stability than that in Comparative Examples 1-3. Among them, the foaming properties and foam stability of Example 1 are better than those of the physically mixed powder (Comparative Example 2). This indicates that the spray drying process produces a synergistic effect between the soy juice and tea saponin, which gives the reconstituted cream superior whipping performance.
[0064] Test Example 3: Antibacterial Test
[0065] The whipped cream was placed at 4°C for 72 hours, and samples were taken at 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The total bacterial count was determined according to GB4789.2-2022.
[0066] from Figure 3 It can be seen that the light cream prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example 2 has better antibacterial properties. Compared with light cream without added tea saponin, it can extend the shelf life of the whipped product to a certain extent. This is due to the natural antibacterial activity of tea saponin, indicating that the addition of tea saponin can not only improve the whipping performance of light cream, but also play a role in preserving the freshness of the whipped product.
[0067] Experimental Example 4: Sensory Evaluation
[0068] Take 20 g of compound powder, add 80 g of room temperature water, stir to dissolve it completely, then add 30 g of household cooking oil, stir well, and finally beat with a household egg beater at high speed for 3-5 minutes to form cream. After piping with a piping tip, the cream is provided for sensory evaluation by the testers.
[0069] The sensory evaluation testers consisted of 5 men and 5 women (aged 20-40) who had received basic sensory evaluation training. All samples were freshly prepared, with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest score. The specific sensory evaluation indicators and scoring criteria are shown in Table 1.
[0070] Table 1 Sensory Evaluation Criteria for Cream
[0071] Sensory indicators Quality characteristics Appearance It is pure white in color, with clear texture, smooth and delicate surface, and no signs of water immersion or oil seepage. odor It has a fresh, natural bean aroma, with no noticeable fishy smell, and is highly popular. taste It has a pure bean flavor with no obvious bitterness or spiciness, making it highly appealing. Organizational status It melts in your mouth, has a delicate texture, is free of grains, and is not greasy.
[0072] As can be seen from Table 2, the sensory scores of Examples 1-3 are generally better than those of Comparative Examples 1-3. On the one hand, the addition of tea saponins can improve the whipping performance of light cream, increase its plasticity, and make its texture more uniform and delicate. On the other hand, the presence of soy milk to a certain extent masks the bitterness and spiciness of tea saponins, playing a role in harmonizing the flavor and making the product more acceptable to consumers.
[0073] The above experiments show that both chickpea juice and tea saponin can stabilize light cream, maintain product uniformity, and improve the whipping performance of cream. At the same time, the natural antibacterial activity of tea saponin can further extend the shelf life of whipped products and has a good preservation effect. However, tea saponin also has the problem of introducing bitterness and spiciness during use. This problem can be solved by using chickpea juice. The combination of the two can achieve dual optimization of functional characteristics and sensory quality.
[0074] Table 2 Sensory evaluation results of cream
[0075] Sensory indicators Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Comparative Example 1 Comparative Example 2 Comparative Example 3 Appearance <![CDATA[4.21±0.37 a ]]> <![CDATA[4.06±0.21 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.94±0.31 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.44±0.23 b ]]> <![CDATA[3.22±0.26 b ]]> <![CDATA[3.51±0.12 b ]]> odor <![CDATA[4.01±0.22 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.84±0.23 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.95±0.14 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.42±0.08 b ]]> <![CDATA[3.06±0.12 c ]]> <![CDATA[3.35±0.24 b ]]> taste <![CDATA[3.91±031 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.79±0.17 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.81±0.27 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.37±0.44 a ]]> <![CDATA[2.93±0.28 b ]]> <![CDATA[3.51±0.20 a ]]> Organizational status <![CDATA[4.30±0.27 a ]]> <![CDATA[4.15±0.11 a ]]> <![CDATA[4.02±0.04 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.22±0.32 b ]]> <![CDATA[3.17±0.26 b ]]> <![CDATA[3.34±0.38 b ]]> Average score <![CDATA[4.11±0.29 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.96±0.18 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.93±0.19 a ]]> <![CDATA[3.36±0.27 b ]]> <![CDATA[3.07±0.21 c ]]> <![CDATA[3.43±0.24 b ]]>
[0076] In summary, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not encompass all aspects of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the claims.
Claims
1. A tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder, characterized in that, It is made by spray drying after mixing tea saponin and chickpea juice; the mass ratio of tea saponin to chickpea juice is 0.5-20:100; the chickpea juice is unconcentrated or undiluted chickpea juice.
2. The tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tea saponin is derived from camellia seed meal, a byproduct of oil extraction from camellia seeds, with a purity of 60-95%.
3. The tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chickpea juice is derived from the residual juice from cooking chickpeas by enterprises, the residual juice after consuming canned chickpeas, or the residual juice from cooking chickpeas at home.
4. The tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The composite powder contains 5-9 wt% protein, 2-50 wt% total saponin, ≤5 wt% water, and has a particle size of 10-50 μm.
5. The method for preparing tea saponin-chickpea juice according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Mixing: Mix chickpea juice and tea saponin at a mass ratio of 0.5-20:100, stir well to obtain a mixture; Step 2, spray drying: The mixture obtained in Step 1 is spray dried with an inlet air temperature of 130-190°C, an outlet air temperature of 80-100°C, and a feed flow rate of 5-30 L / h. The tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder is collected.
6. The preparation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step two, during the spray drying process, tea saponins and proteins in chickpea juice form a stable complex through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. This complex has the ability to enhance interfacial adsorption after resolidification.
7. The tea saponin-chickpea juice according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is used in the preparation of vegetable-based butter.
8. The application according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method for preparing the vegetable-based butter includes the following steps: Step 1, Resolution: Dissolve the tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder in water to obtain a resolution solution. The mass ratio of the tea saponin-chickpea juice composite powder to water is 1:2-8. Step 2: Add oil: Add vegetable oil to the reconstitution solution. The amount of vegetable oil added is 10%-75% of the weight of the reconstitution solution. Mix well to obtain a pre-emulsion. Step 3: Whipping: Whip and aerate the pre-emulsion using a home whipping machine, disperser, or frother for 2-10 minutes to obtain vegetable-based butter.
9. The application according to claim 8, characterized in that, The resulting vegetable-based butter has a foaming capacity of ≥150%, a foam stability of ≥95%, and an average droplet size of ≤1.2 μm.
10. The use of the chickpea juice-tea saponin composite powder according to any one of claims 1-4 in the preparation of milk foam, ice cream, baked goods or tea drinks.