A formula and preparation process of a green plum and black tea compound sparkling beverage

Abstract

The application relates to the field of food processing, and particularly discloses a formula and a preparation process of a green plum and black tea compound bubble beverage, which comprises the following steps: after green plum is soaked, cleaned and boiled to remove the skin, the green plum is boiled with granulated sugar at a mass ratio of 1:1 to prepare green plum paste; Qimen black tea is mixed with drinking water at a mass ratio of 1:50, low-temperature sealed cold extraction is carried out, and then cold extraction Qimen black tea soup is obtained through filtration; the green plum paste and the cold extraction Qimen black tea soup are mixed and adjusted at a proportion of 42 parts by weight of the green plum paste to 420 parts by weight of the cold extraction Qimen black tea soup, supernatant is obtained through centrifugal treatment, sodium bicarbonate is added and stirred to dissolve, and then the product is obtained through ultrahigh pressure HPP sterilization treatment, filling with carbon dioxide and filling with carbon dioxide. The application effectively inhibits excessive dissolution of tea polyphenols through low-temperature cold extraction, combines boiling to remove the skin and HPP non-thermal sterilization to completely eliminate the astringency of green plum and the bitterness of tea soup, and uses sodium bicarbonate to cooperate with carbon dioxide to make the bubbles fine and smooth, so that the tea aroma and the fruit aroma are finally harmonized, and the prepared product is flavor coordinated, refreshing and astringent-free.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food processing, specifically a formula and preparation process for a blended sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea. Background Technology

[0002] Green plums, belonging to the genus *Prunus* of the Rosaceae family, are rich in organic acids, polyphenolic compounds, and various amino acids and other bioactive substances, possessing medicinal value such as promoting digestion. However, green plums are high in acid and low in sugar, resulting in a sour and astringent taste when eaten fresh, and usually require extensive processing. Qimen black tea, the only black tea among China's top ten famous teas, is a fully fermented tea with a unique complex aroma of flowers, fruits, and honey. It contains theaflavins, caffeine, and volatile flavor compounds, offering both nutritional and health benefits. In the beverage market, drinks that combine fruit and tea aromas with carbonated bubbles have gained widespread attention due to their refreshing taste, and developing such products has a promising market prospect.

[0003] Currently, there are few cases of blending green plums and black tea to create products. Common green plum beverages are mostly made by boiling dried plums, while black tea beverages are mostly made using traditional hot brewing methods. Existing blending technologies generally suffer from a significant technical deficiency: traditional processes often use high-temperature brewing in the preparation of black tea, which causes a large amount of ester-type catechins and caffeine to dissolve, resulting in a noticeable bitterness and astringency in the tea. Simultaneously, existing technologies often lack effective methods for removing the astringency from green plums, leaving a significant residual sour and astringent taste. When sour and astringent green plums are directly mixed with bitter and astringent black tea, the sour, bitter, and astringent tastes combine, resulting in a highly unbalanced and unpleasant flavor in the final product, failing to meet consumers' demand for refreshing, smooth, and astringent drinks. Therefore, fundamentally solving the problems of residual astringency in green plums and the bitterness and astringency in black tea, and achieving a harmonious blend of the two flavors, remains a challenging issue to be addressed in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a formula and preparation process for a blended sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea, thereby solving the problem that the traditional hot brewing process in the prior art results in bitter tea soup and difficulty in effectively removing the astringency of green plum, leading to a sour and astringent taste and uncoordinated flavor in the blended product.

[0005] This invention provides a blended sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea, comprising the following ingredients: green plum sauce, cold-brewed Qimen black tea, sodium bicarbonate, and carbon dioxide; the green plum sauce is made by boiling green plums and rock sugar in a 1:1 mass ratio.

[0006] Preferably, based on the total amount of liquid, the amount of each component added is: 42 parts by weight of plum sauce, 420 parts by weight of cold-brewed Qimen black tea soup, and 0.1 to 1 parts by weight of sodium bicarbonate.

[0007] The present invention also provides a preparation process for the above-mentioned blended sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea, comprising the following steps:

[0008] (1) Pretreatment of green plums and preparation of green plum sauce: Soak and wash the green plums; boil the green plums to remove the skin; then cook them according to the mass ratio of green plums to rock sugar of 1:1 to obtain green plum sauce;

[0009] (2) Preparation of cold brew soup of Qimen black tea: Qimen black tea and drinking water are mixed at a mass ratio of 1:50, and the mixture is sealed and refrigerated for 8-12 hours under low temperature conditions. The tea soup is then filtered to obtain cold brew Qimen black tea soup.

[0010] (3) Preparation: Mix the plum sauce obtained in step (1) and the cold-brewed Qimen black tea soup obtained in step (2) according to the above ratio and stir evenly;

[0011] (4) Centrifuge and collect the supernatant: Centrifuge the prepared liquid in step (3), collect the supernatant, add sodium bicarbonate to the supernatant and stir until completely dissolved;

[0012] (5) HPP process treatment: The supernatant obtained in step (4) is subjected to ultra-high pressure HPP sterilization treatment;

[0013] (6) Inflation and filling: Fill the liquid material after step (5) with carbon dioxide, seal the opening and the finished product is obtained.

[0014] Preferably, the soaking time in step (1) is 1 to 3 hours.

[0015] Preferably, the boiling time for peeling in step (1) is 3 to 8 minutes.

[0016] Preferably, the cooking endpoint in step (1) is that the sauce is amber in color.

[0017] Preferably, the low temperature condition in step (2) is 4~6℃.

[0018] Preferably, the pressure of the HPP process in step (5) is 300~600MPa, and the holding time is 3~10 minutes.

[0019] Preferably, the carbon dioxide filling time in step (6) is 5 to 8 seconds.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] By organically combining the innovative plum jam making process with the low-temperature cold extraction technology of Qimen black tea, and introducing ultra-high pressure non-thermal sterilization treatment and sodium bicarbonate synergistic aeration process, the deep integration of tea soup and jam flavor is achieved, effectively solving the technical problems of bitter tea soup and the difficulty in removing the astringency of plum caused by traditional hot brewing process.

[0022] In terms of flavor development, this invention employs low-temperature sealed cold extraction technology, which effectively inhibits the excessive dissolution of bitter substances such as tea polyphenols and caffeine, preserving the unique floral, fruity, and honey-like aroma of Qimen black tea to the greatest extent. At the same time, the process of boiling and peeling green plums and simmering rock sugar ensures that the sweet and sour taste of the green plum sauce is just right, fundamentally eliminating the astringency of the raw materials. This achieves a balance of sweetness, sourness, mellowness, and refreshingness in the taste experience, resulting in a product with extremely high flavor distinctiveness.

[0023] In terms of process innovation, this invention uses centrifugation to improve the clarity of the liquid, and uses ultra-high pressure technology to replace traditional heat sterilization, which perfectly preserves the heat-sensitive flavor substances in green plums and black tea. Combined with the buffering and regulating effect of sodium bicarbonate and the carbon dioxide aeration process, the produced bubbles are delicate, uniform and persistent, significantly improving the overall drinking experience and effectively extending the product's shelf life.

[0024] In terms of industrial applications, this invention provides a complete and replicable processing technology for blended sparkling beverages made with green plum and black tea. The process parameters are clear and the operation is simple. It provides a new technical path for the deep processing and high-value utilization of two high-quality and distinctive agricultural products, green plum and Qimen black tea. It has important demonstration significance and broad market prospects for promoting the industrial development of regional specialty ingredients. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the preparation process of the compound sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] Example 1: This example provides a specific preparation process for a blended sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0028] S1. Pretreatment of green plums and preparation of green plum jam

[0029] Select 1 kg of fresh green plums, which should be plump, bright in color, thick-fleshed, small in pit, and free from rot or spoilage.

[0030] Wash the green plums twice with clean water to remove surface impurities; soak the washed green plums in clean water for 2 hours to soften the flesh and initially remove the astringency; remove the soaked green plums, put them in a pot of cold water and heat to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes to peel them; remove the green plums, let them cool, remove the peel and pits, and take 500g of green plum flesh for later use.

[0031] Mix the obtained plum pulp with rock sugar in a 1:1 mass ratio (i.e., add 500g of rock sugar), place it in a stainless steel jacketed pot, simmer over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, and cook until the sauce turns amber. Stop heating, cool and set aside to obtain plum jam.

[0032] S2. Preparation of cold brew infusion of Qimen black tea

[0033] Select 10g of Qimen black tea and mix it with 500g of drinking water (mass ratio 1:50). Place it in a refrigerator at 4℃ and seal it for 10 hours of cold extraction. After the low-temperature extraction is completed, filter the tea soup with a 100-mesh filter cloth or filter screen to separate the tea residue and obtain a clear and transparent cold-extracted Qimen black tea soup for later use.

[0034] S3. Mixing

[0035] Weigh 42g of plum sauce obtained in step S1 and 420g of cold-brewed Qimen black tea soup obtained in step S2, mix them in a mixing jar, and stir at 60r / min for 3 minutes at room temperature (20~25℃) to make the liquid mixture uniform.

[0036] S4. Centrifuge, collect the supernatant, and add sodium bicarbonate.

[0037] Pump the mixture obtained in step S3 into a centrifuge and centrifuge at 5000 r / min for 15 minutes. Collect the clear liquid in the upper layer after centrifugation and discard the bottom precipitate. Add 0.5 g of sodium bicarbonate to the obtained supernatant and stir until completely dissolved.

[0038] S5.HPP process treatment

[0039] The supernatant obtained in step S4 is transferred to an ultra-high pressure treatment container, and the pressure is set to 400 MPa. The container is then pressure-treated for 5 minutes for ultra-high pressure (HPP) sterilization.

[0040] S6. Inflatable filling

[0041] Pour the liquid processed in step S5 into a food-grade beverage bottle, leaving an appropriate headspace, and immediately fill it with food-grade carbon dioxide (filling time is 6 seconds, filling pressure is 0.3MPa). After filling, seal the bottle immediately to obtain the finished green plum black tea blended sparkling beverage.

[0042] Sensory evaluation:

[0043] The finished beverage prepared according to this embodiment is amber to light reddish-brown in color, clear and bright, with fine bubbles evenly distributed; it has a moderate sweet and sour taste, with the tartness of green plums harmonizing with the aroma of black tea, and a delicate and dense bubble texture; it has the fresh fruity aroma of green plums and the unique floral, fruity and honey complex aroma of Qimen black tea; the aftertaste is refreshing, clean, and without bitterness or astringency.

[0044] Example 2: This example provides another preparation process for a blended sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea, including the following steps:

[0045] S1. Pretreatment of green plums and preparation of green plum jam

[0046] Select 10kg of fresh green plums, soak (2h), wash, boil and peel (5min) according to the method in Example 1, take 5kg of green plum pulp, add 5kg of rock sugar in a 1:1 mass ratio, simmer over low heat until amber color, and obtain green plum jam, cool and set aside.

[0047] S2. Preparation of cold brew infusion of Qimen black tea

[0048] Take 100g of Qimen black tea, mix it with 5kg of drinking water, and place it in a 6℃ refrigerator for 12 hours of cold extraction. After extraction, filter to obtain cold-extracted Qimen black tea soup for later use.

[0049] S3. Mixing

[0050] Weigh 420g of the plum sauce obtained in step S1 and 4200g of the cold-brewed Qimen black tea soup obtained in step S2, mix them in a mixing jar, and stir evenly at room temperature.

[0051] S4. Centrifuge, collect the supernatant, and add sodium bicarbonate.

[0052] The mixture was pumped into an industrial centrifuge and centrifuged. The clear liquid was collected from the top layer. 5g of sodium bicarbonate was added to the supernatant and stirred until completely dissolved.

[0053] S5.HPP process treatment

[0054] Transfer the supernatant to an ultra-high pressure treatment container, set the pressure to 500 MPa, and sterilize after holding the pressure for 3 minutes.

[0055] S6. Inflatable filling

[0056] The HPP-treated liquid is poured into beverage bottles, carbon dioxide gas is introduced (inflation time 6 seconds, inflation pressure 0.4MPa), and the bottles are sealed to obtain the finished product.

[0057] The flavor of the finished product is basically the same as that of Example 1, with a refreshing taste.

[0058] Example 3: This example provides another preparation process for a blended sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea, in which some process parameters have been adjusted, including the following steps:

[0059] S1. Pretreatment of green plums and preparation of green plum jam

[0060] Select 1 kg of fresh green plums, soak (1.5 h), wash, boil and peel (3 min) according to the method in Example 1, take 500 g of green plum pulp, add 500 g of rock sugar in a 1:1 mass ratio, and cook until amber color to obtain green plum sauce.

[0061] S2. Preparation of cold brew infusion of Qimen black tea

[0062] Take 10g of Qimen black tea, mix it with 500g of drinking water, place it in a refrigerator at 6℃ and seal it for 8 hours for cold extraction; filter to obtain cold-extracted Qimen black tea soup.

[0063] S3. Mixing

[0064] Weigh out 42g of plum sauce and 420g of cold-brewed Qimen black tea, and mix them well.

[0065] S4. Centrifuge, collect the supernatant, and add sodium bicarbonate.

[0066] Centrifuge at 4000 r / min for 10 minutes and collect the supernatant; add 1.0 g of sodium bicarbonate and stir to dissolve.

[0067] S5.HPP process treatment

[0068] The supernatant was subjected to high pressure (HPP) sterilization at a pressure of 300 MPa for 10 minutes.

[0069] S6. Inflatable filling

[0070] The HPP-treated liquid is filled into a container, then carbon dioxide is introduced (inflation time 5 seconds, inflation pressure 0.35MPa), and the container is sealed to obtain the finished product.

[0071] The sensory quality of the finished product is basically consistent with that of Example 1.

[0072] Comparative test example:

[0073] To verify the rationality of the selection of various process parameters in the technical solution of this invention, the following comparative experiment was conducted:

[0074] 1. Comparison of different black tea extraction processes and their astringency removal effects

[0075] With the blending ratio (42 parts plum sauce, 420 parts black tea broth) and other parameters unchanged, the following extraction conditions were set for the treatment group:

[0076] Group A is the cold extraction at 4°C for 10 hours as described in Example 1 of this invention;

[0077] Group B involves soaking in 80℃ hot water for 5 minutes (traditional hot soaking).

[0078] Group C is the method of this invention, but "without HPP, only heat sterilization".

[0079] Ten trained sensory evaluators evaluated the samples based on two dimensions: astringency and aroma intensity. The results are as follows:

[0080]

[0081] The results showed that low-temperature cold extraction (4~6℃) combined with subsequent high-pressure HPP treatment could effectively inhibit the excessive dissolution of tea polyphenols and caffeine. Combined with the peeling treatment of green plums by boiling, the problems of bitterness in tea soup and astringency in green plums were completely solved.

[0082] 2. Effects of different inflation conditions and the addition of sodium bicarbonate on the taste and stability of the bubbles.

[0083] With other conditions remaining constant, the following treatment groups were set up with different amounts of sodium bicarbonate added and different inflation times:

[0084] Group D: Example 1 of the present invention (adding 0.5g of baking soda, inflating for 6 seconds);

[0085] Group E: No sodium bicarbonate added (inflated for 6 seconds only);

[0086] Group F: Add 0.5g of baking soda, but do not add CO2 (rely solely on the gas produced by sodium bicarbonate and acid).

[0087] Ten evaluators assessed the fineness, persistence, and irritation of the bubbles:

[0088]

[0089] The results show that the synergistic aeration of sodium bicarbonate and CO2 (the technical solution of Example 1) can further refine the bubbles and improve the texture and foam persistence of carbonated beverages.

[0090] Additional notes:

[0091] Regarding "parts by weight": In this embodiment, the specific implementation of "parts by weight" is expressed in "grams (g)". In actual industrial production, it can be scaled up to "kilograms (kg)" or "tons (t)" in proportion, while the relative proportions of each component remain unchanged.

[0092] Regarding the determination of "amber color": In this specific embodiment, "amber color" refers to the color state of the plum sauce during the cooking process, where the sauce gradually changes from light yellow to reddish-brown to yellowish-brown; in actual production, a color chart can be used as an aid in the determination.

[0093] Regarding the pressure of HPP treatment: The specific equipment for ultra-high pressure HPP treatment is conventional equipment currently available in the food processing field. A pressure setting within the range of 300-600 MPa and a holding time of 3-10 minutes can achieve efficient non-thermal sterilization of the product while preserving its natural color and flavor. In this embodiment, the 400 MPa and 500 MPa pressures used both achieve the desired technical effect.

[0094] Regarding the addition of sodium bicarbonate: Sodium bicarbonate should be added after centrifugation and before HPP process. After addition, it should be stirred thoroughly until completely dissolved before HPP sterilization and subsequent filling and aeration to avoid undissolved particles affecting sterilization uniformity and the final product taste.

[0095] 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. Any changes, modifications, substitutions and variations made by those skilled in the art to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sparkling beverage made with green plum and black tea, characterized in that, It contains the following ingredients: plum sauce, cold-brewed Qimen black tea, sodium bicarbonate, and carbon dioxide; the plum sauce is made by boiling plums and rock sugar in a 1:1 mass ratio.

2. The plum and black tea blended sparkling beverage according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the total amount of liquid, the amount of each component added is as follows: 42 parts by weight of plum sauce, 420 parts by weight of cold-brewed Qimen black tea soup, and 0.1 to 1 parts by weight of sodium bicarbonate.

3. A preparation process for a blended sparkling beverage of green plum and black tea as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Pretreatment of green plums and preparation of green plum sauce: Soak and wash the green plums; boil the green plums to remove the skin; then cook them according to the mass ratio of green plums to rock sugar of 1:1 to obtain green plum sauce; (2) Preparation of cold brew soup of Qimen black tea: Qimen black tea and drinking water are mixed at a mass ratio of 1:50, and the mixture is sealed and refrigerated for 8-12 hours under low temperature conditions. The tea soup is then filtered to obtain cold brew Qimen black tea soup. (3) Preparation: Mix the plum sauce obtained in step (1) and the cold-brewed Qimen black tea soup obtained in step (2) according to the ratio described in claim 2, and stir evenly; (4) Centrifuge and collect the supernatant: Centrifuge the prepared liquid in step (3), collect the supernatant, add sodium bicarbonate to the supernatant and stir until completely dissolved; (5) HPP process treatment: The supernatant obtained in step (4) is subjected to ultra-high pressure HPP sterilization treatment; (6) Inflation and filling: Fill the liquid material after step (5) with carbon dioxide, seal the opening and the finished product is obtained.

4. The preparation process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The soaking time in step (1) is 1 to 3 hours.

5. The preparation process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The boiling time for peeling in step (1) is 3 to 8 minutes.

6. The preparation process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cooking endpoint described in step (1) is that the sauce turns amber in color.

7. The preparation process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The low temperature condition mentioned in step (2) is 4~6℃.

8. The preparation process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pressure of the HPP process in step (5) is 300~600MPa, and the holding time is 3~10 minutes.

9. The preparation process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The carbon dioxide filling time in step (6) is 5 to 8 seconds.

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