Health-care honeysuckle flower tea and preparation process thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a honeysuckle health-care tea and a preparation process thereof, and belongs to the technical field of health-care drinks. The preparation process of the honeysuckle health-care tea comprises the following steps: after honeysuckle is dried by low-temperature dehumidification ladder at 35-80 DEG C, the honeysuckle is naturally aged in an environment with a relative humidity of 60-70% for 15-20 days, and then the honeysuckle is treated by fragrance extraction at 110-130 DEG C for 1-3 hours, so that the final product is prepared by controlling the moisture content to be 5-12%. The preparation process can cover honeysuckle raw materials in three-green periods, two-white periods, large-white periods and full-flower periods, the resource utilization rate is increased from 60% in the prior art to more than 90%, the retention rate of effective components such as chlorogenic acid and osmanthus glycoside is significantly improved, the cold nature of the honeysuckle is reduced, the obtained product has bright soup color, rich fragrance and soft taste, and is suitable for industrialized popularization and application.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of health beverage technology, and in particular to a honeysuckle health tea and its preparation process. Background Technology

[0002] Honeysuckle is a plant of the Caprifoliaceae family, specifically Lonicera japonica (Lonicera japonica). Lonicera japonica Thunb Dried flower buds or newly opened flowers of the plant are a nationally recognized food and medicine homology ingredient. It is cold in nature and sweet in taste. Its traditional effects are clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing wind-heat, and it can be used for carbuncles, boils, sore throat, wind-heat colds, and febrile diseases. Its core active ingredients are chlorogenic acid and luteolin, which also have antibacterial, antiviral, lipid-lowering, blood pressure-lowering, and antioxidant pharmacological effects.

[0003] The current mainstream processing technology for honeysuckle substitute tea involves directly hot-air drying of raw materials during the bud stage. This method suffers from three major technical drawbacks: First, low resource utilization. Traditional processes can only utilize about 60% of the raw materials during the bud stage, with a large number of newly opened flowers being discarded, limiting the industry's economic benefits. Second, significant loss of active ingredients. High-temperature single-stage drying easily leads to the decomposition of chlorogenic acid and browning of the flower color, resulting in a loss rate of over 20% of active ingredients and poor product quality stability. Third, poor sensory quality. The finished product has a strong green and spicy taste, a slightly bitter flavor, a weak aroma, and a strong cooling effect, making it difficult to meet consumer market demands. Although the industry has made some localized optimizations in the drying and blending stages, a systematic process solution that can simultaneously solve resource utilization, ingredient retention, and sensory enhancement has not yet been formed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a honeysuckle health tea and its preparation process, which solves the technical problems of low resource utilization, low retention rate of effective ingredients, strong coldness, poor taste and weak aroma in the existing honeysuckle tea processing, realizes the high-value utilization of honeysuckle raw materials throughout the flowering period, and meets the needs of industrial promotion.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: One of the technical solutions of the present invention is a preparation process of honeysuckle health tea, which includes honeysuckle raw material harvesting, impurity removal and pretreatment and drying steps, and also includes natural aging and aroma enhancement steps, specifically: the dried honeysuckle is naturally aged, and then aroma enhancement treatment is carried out to obtain the honeysuckle health tea.

[0006] Furthermore, the honeysuckle raw material is selected from any one or more combinations of honeysuckle buds in the three green stage, honeysuckle buds in the two white stage, honeysuckle buds in the large white stage, and honeysuckle in the initial opening stage.

[0007] Furthermore, the drying method is low-temperature dehumidification drying, with a drying temperature of 35-80°C and a total drying time of 15-25 hours; Furthermore, the drying process adopts a stepped heating mode, with the temperature set sequentially as follows: 35-40℃, 41-45℃, 50-55℃, 60-65℃, 70-75℃, and 76-80℃. The drying time corresponding to each temperature range is 3-5 hours, 3-5 hours, 3-6 hours, 3-4 hours, 2-4 hours, and 1-2 hours, respectively.

[0008] Furthermore, the relative humidity of the natural aging environment is 60% to 70%, the aging time is 15 to 20 days, and the aging process is carried out by room temperature sealed storage.

[0009] Furthermore, the aroma enhancement process employs a hot air aroma enhancement technique, with a processing temperature of 110–130°C and a processing time of 1–3 hours.

[0010] Furthermore, after the aroma enhancement process, the resulting honeysuckle health tea has a moisture content of 5% to 12%.

[0011] The second technical solution of the present invention: a honeysuckle health tea, prepared by the above-mentioned preparation process.

[0012] The present invention discloses the following technical effects: (1) Resource utilization rate is greatly improved. The preparation process of the present invention can be adapted to honeysuckle raw materials from the three green stage to the initial flowering stage, increasing the resource utilization rate of the industry from the traditional 60% to more than 90%, transforming the originally discarded honeysuckle in the initial flowering stage into high value-added products, and significantly improving the comprehensive economic benefits of the honeysuckle industry.

[0013] (2) The retention rate of active ingredients is significantly improved. Step-by-step low-temperature dehumidification drying is adopted to avoid the decomposition of active ingredients caused by high-temperature blanching. The retention rate of chlorogenic acid is increased by 12% compared with the traditional process, and the sulfur dioxide residue is less than 50mg / kg. The quality of the finished product meets the standards of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

[0014] (3) Optimization of sensory quality and drinking suitability. Natural aging promotes the transformation of aroma substances and balances internal moisture. Temperature-controlled aroma enhancement stimulates Maillard reaction, enriching aroma layers, removing the green and bitter taste, making the product taste mellow and the aroma rich and lasting. At the same time, the aging process can mitigate the cold nature of honeysuckle and broaden the range of people who can drink it.

[0015] (4) Strong industrial adaptability. The entire process adopts standardized temperature control equipment, the operation process is stable and controllable, the energy consumption is only 1 / 3 of that of traditional coal-fired drying, there is no sulfur pollution, it meets the requirements of green production, and it is suitable for large-scale industrial promotion. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail. This detailed description should not be considered as a limitation of the present invention, but rather as a more detailed description of certain aspects, features, and embodiments of the present invention.

[0017] It should be understood that the terminology used in this invention is merely for describing particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, with respect to numerical ranges in this invention, it should be understood that each intermediate value between the upper and lower limits of the range is also specifically disclosed. Every smaller range between any stated value or intermediate value within a stated range, and any other stated value or intermediate value within said range, is also included in this invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may be independently included or excluded from the range.

[0018] Unless otherwise stated, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. While only preferred methods and materials have been described herein, any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the implementation or testing of this invention. All references to this specification are incorporated by way of citation to disclose and describe methods and / or materials associated with those references. In the event of any conflict with any incorporated reference, the content of this specification shall prevail.

[0019] Various modifications and variations can be made to the specific embodiments described in this specification without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Other embodiments derived from this specification will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. This specification and embodiments are merely exemplary.

[0020] The terms “include,” “including,” “have,” “contain,” etc., used in this article are all open-ended terms, meaning that they include but are not limited to.

[0021] It should be noted that any aspects not described in detail in this invention are conventional practices in the field and are not the focus of this invention.

[0022] (I) Raw Materials and Equipment Description Raw materials: Honeysuckle is the flower bud or newly opened flower of Lonicera japonica, a plant of the Caprifoliaceae family, including conventionally cultivated varieties and artificially bred varieties such as Yate No. 1, Yate No. 4, and Yate No. 5.

[0023] The characteristics of raw materials at each flowering period are as follows: Flower buds in the third stage of growth: 3-4.5cm in length, greenish-blue in color, and high in chlorogenic acid; Flower buds in the two-white stage: 4-5cm in length, white at the top and green at the bottom, with luteolin content gradually increasing; Large white stage flower buds: 5-6cm in length, entirely white, with high content of luteolin; Honeysuckle in its early bloom: The petals are just beginning to unfold, and the content of volatile aromatic substances is high.

[0024] Core equipment: Low-temperature dehumidification heat pump automatic dryer (closed-loop dehumidification type, with intelligent temperature and humidity control system and 360° circulating hot air system), hot air automatic aroma extraction machine, and food-grade packaging equipment.

[0025] (II) General Preparation Process Harvesting: Harvest honeysuckle at the corresponding flowering period and place it in a clean, breathable container to avoid squeezing and damaging the material.

[0026] Preliminary selection and impurity removal: Remove leaves, flower stems and impurities from the raw materials, spread them evenly on a tray, with a thickness not exceeding 3cm.

[0027] Low-temperature dehumidification stepped drying: The tray is sent into the low-temperature dehumidification heat pump dryer and dried in a segmented gradient heating mode with a temperature range of 35-80℃ and a total duration of 15-25 hours. During the drying process, water vapor is automatically discharged and recovered, and the moisture content of the raw material after drying does not exceed 12%.

[0028] Natural aging: After drying, honeysuckle is sealed in food-grade polyethylene bags and stored in a cool, dry environment with a relative humidity of 60% to 70% at room temperature for 15 to 20 days to complete the uniform distribution of moisture and the transformation of aroma substances.

[0029] Temperature control and aroma enhancement: After aging, honeysuckle is spread evenly on the tray of the aroma enhancement machine, with a thickness not exceeding 3cm. It is then enhanced at 110-130℃ for 1-3 hours. The moisture content of the finished product after aroma enhancement is controlled at 5%-12%.

[0030] Packaging and storage: After the finished product has cooled to room temperature, it is screened for foreign objects and sealed in food-grade light-proof and moisture-proof aluminum foil composite bags. It is then stored in a cool, dry place at 10-25℃ and relative humidity ≤60%, away from odors, sources of pollution and direct sunlight. (III) Specific Implementation Examples Example 1 Honeysuckle bud health tea during the three-green stage: Ingredients: Honeysuckle buds at the three-green stage Preparation process: (1) Harvesting and removing impurities: Harvest the flower buds in the three green stages, remove impurities and spread them out evenly with a thickness of ≤3cm.

[0032] (2) Step drying: Low-temperature dehumidification heat pump drying is adopted, with 9-stage gradient temperature increase, and a total duration of 23 hours. The parameters are as follows: Table 1 Step-drying parameters The moisture content of the raw materials after drying is ≤12%.

[0033] (3) Natural aging: After sealing, store in a room temperature environment with a relative humidity of 60% to 70% for 20 days.

[0034] (4) Fragrance enhancement: Fragrance enhancement with hot air at 125℃ for 2 hours, and the moisture content after fragrance enhancement is ≤12%.

[0035] (5) Packaging and storage are the same as general processes.

[0036] Product features: Natural and refreshing aroma with rich layers of fragrance; clear and bright yellow-green liquor; smooth taste; good brewing endurance.

[0037] Example 2 Honeysuckle health tea made from buds during the second white stage: Ingredients: Honeysuckle buds at the second white stage Preparation process: (1) Harvesting and impurity removal are the same as in Example 1.

[0038] (2) Step drying: The temperature is increased in 9 stages, with a total duration of 19 hours. The parameters are as follows: Table 2 Step-drying parameters The moisture content of the raw materials after drying is ≤12%.

[0039] (3) Natural aging: Store at room temperature in a sealed container for 18 days.

[0040] (4) Fragrance enhancement: Fragrance enhancement with hot air at 120℃ for 2 hours, and the moisture content after fragrance enhancement is ≤12%.

[0041] (5) Packaging and storage are the same as in Example 1.

[0042] Product features: The soup is light greenish-yellow and transparent, with a delicate and lasting aroma, a smooth taste, and excellent brewing endurance.

[0043] Example 3 Honeysuckle bud health tea: Ingredients: Honeysuckle buds during the white blooming stage Preparation process: (1) Harvesting and impurity removal are the same as in Example 1.

[0044] (2) Step drying: The temperature is increased in 9 stages, with a total duration of 19 hours. The parameters are as follows: Table 3 Step-drying parameters The moisture content of the raw materials after drying is ≤12%.

[0045] (3) Natural aging: Store at room temperature in a sealed container for 20 days.

[0046] (4) Fragrance enhancement: Fragrance enhancement with hot air at 115℃ for 2.5 hours, and the moisture content after fragrance enhancement is ≤12%.

[0047] (5) Packaging and storage are the same as in Example 1.

[0048] Product characteristics: The soup is light yellow and transparent, with a delicate and fresh aroma, a mellow and sweet taste, and a distinct floral fragrance.

[0049] Example 4 Honeysuckle health tea in its early bloom stage: Ingredients: Honeysuckle in its early blooming stage Preparation process: (1) Harvesting and impurity removal are the same as in Example 1.

[0050] (2) Step drying: The temperature is increased in 7 stages, with a total duration of 16 hours. The parameters are as follows: Table 4 Step-drying parameters The moisture content of the raw materials after drying is ≤12%.

[0051] (3) Natural aging: Store at room temperature in a sealed container for 15 days.

[0052] (4) Fragrance enhancement: Fragrance enhancement with hot air at 110℃ for 3 hours, and the moisture content after fragrance enhancement is ≤12%.

[0053] (5) Packaging and storage are the same as in Example 1.

[0054] Product characteristics: The soup has a bright orange-yellow color, a rich and fresh floral aroma, a sweet, mellow and smooth taste, and excellent brewing endurance.

[0055] (iv) Comparative verification Comparative Example 1 Single-temperature drying process: Except for the drying process, which involves a single drying at a constant temperature of 75°C for 20 hours, the other steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0056] Results: The finished flower buds showed obvious browning and yellowing, the chlorogenic acid content decreased by 21.3% compared with Example 1, the aroma was weak with a burnt taste, and the taste was bitter.

[0057] Comparative Example 2 Direct aroma enhancement process without aging: The natural aging process is omitted, and the aroma is extracted directly after drying. The remaining parameters are the same as in Example 1.

[0058] Results: The finished product had a sharp aroma and a strong pungent taste, an unbalanced flavor, and the aroma dissipated quickly after brewing, with poor brewing endurance.

[0059] Comparative Example 3 Ultra-high temperature rapid aroma extraction process: The aroma enhancement parameters were adjusted to 145℃ for 30 minutes, and the remaining steps were the same as in Example 4.

[0060] Results: The finished product had a distinct burnt smell, a large amount of fresh floral fragrance was lost, the degradation rate of chlorogenic acid reached 18.7%, and the color was dark.

[0061] (v) Example of effect verification Example 1 Quality and ingredient testing Sensory evaluation was conducted according to GH / T 1091-2014 "Substitute Teas," and the contents of chlorogenic acid and luteolin were determined by HPLC according to Part I of the 2025 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The results are as follows: Table 5 Sensory Ratings All samples met the pharmacopoeia and safety standards for pesticide residues and heavy metal content.

[0062] Example 2 Aroma and flavor analysis: GC-MS analysis showed that after aging and aroma enhancement treatment using the preparation process of this invention, the content of roasted sweet aroma substances such as pyrazines and furans in the finished product was significantly increased. Specifically, after aroma enhancement at 120℃ for 2 hours, the content of 2-methoxy-3-methylpyrazine increased to 2.3 times that of the raw material. Simultaneously, the content of low-boiling-point green compounds (such as hexanal) was moderately reduced, achieving the effect of removing the green and spicy taste and enriching the aroma layers. The finished product prepared from raw materials at the large white stage and the initial opening stage exhibits superior aroma and flavor compared to raw materials at the three green stage and the two white stage, allowing for the selection of raw materials or blending according to market demand.

[0063] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the design concept and technical principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A preparation process for honeysuckle health tea, comprising honeysuckle raw material harvesting, impurity removal pretreatment, and drying steps, characterized in that, It also includes natural aging and aroma enhancement steps, specifically: the dried honeysuckle is naturally aged, and then aroma enhancement is carried out to obtain the honeysuckle health tea.

2. The preparation process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The honeysuckle raw material is selected from any one or more combinations of honeysuckle buds in the three green stage, honeysuckle buds in the two white stage, honeysuckle buds in the large white stage, and honeysuckle in the initial opening stage.

3. The preparation process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drying method is low-temperature dehumidification drying, with a drying temperature of 35-80℃ and a total drying time of 15-25 hours.

4. The preparation process according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drying process adopts a stepped heating mode, with the temperature set sequentially as follows: 35-40℃, 41-45℃, 50-55℃, 60-65℃, 70-75℃, and 76-80℃. The drying time corresponding to each temperature range is 3-5 hours, 3-5 hours, 3-6 hours, 3-4 hours, 2-4 hours, and 1-2 hours, respectively.

5. The preparation process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The relative humidity of the environment for natural aging is 60% to 70%, the aging time is 15 to 20 days, and the aging process is carried out by sealing and storing at room temperature.

6. The preparation process according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aroma enhancement process employs a hot air aroma enhancement technique, with a processing temperature of 110–130°C and a processing time of 1–3 hours.

7. The preparation process according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the aroma enhancement process, the resulting honeysuckle health tea has a moisture content of 5% to 12%.

8. A honeysuckle health tea, characterized in that, It is prepared by the preparation process described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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