Steam explosion white tea functional beverage and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of steam explosion anji white tea functional beverage and preparation method, belong to food and beverage processing technical field.The functional beverage is prepared by the following method: white leaf no.1 tea leaf is moisture regulated to moisture content 30-50%, under the steam pressure 0.6-0.8MPa, pressure 120-180 seconds are handled to steam explosion, and steam explosion white tea is obtained after drying;Steam explosion white tea is mixed with purified water according to material liquid ratio 1:30-1:50, cold infusion extraction is carried out at 20-40 DEG C for 20-40 minutes, filtration, ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization, sterile filling.The application utilizes steam explosion technology to destroy tea cell wall, so that active ingredient is efficiently dissolved at room temperature, bitterness is reduced, and aroma is improved.The obtained beverage ingredient table only contains water and steam explosion white tea, without adding any sweetener, essence, preservative, through ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization combined with sterile filling, room temperature long-term storage is realized, and high-value utilization of white leaf no.1 tea leaf is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food and beverage processing technology, specifically relating to a steam-exploded Anji white tea functional beverage and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Anji White Tea is a specialty of Anji County, Zhejiang Province, made from the fresh leaves of the "Baiye No. 1" (Camellia sinensis cv. Baiye1) tea tree variety. Baiye No. 1 is a rare albino tea tree variety selected and bred in Anji County. Its newly sprouted leaves in spring are jade-white due to the lack of chlorophyll, hence the name "white tea." This variety has unique quality characteristics of "high amino acids and low tea polyphenols": the free amino acid content in spring tea is as high as 6-10%, which is 2-3 times that of ordinary green tea, while the tea polyphenol content is only 10-14%, resulting in an extremely low phenol-to-amino acid ratio. This characteristic gives Baiye No. 1 green tea its excellent qualities of freshness, sweetness, and mild bitterness. However, the quality of Baiye No. 1 summer and autumn teas has declined significantly, and the quality of Baiye No. 1 tea varies depending on the harvesting season and the production area. Current tea beverage production technology mainly uses high-temperature hot water extraction (80-100℃, 30-60 minutes), which has drawbacks such as high energy consumption, theanine degradation, and excessive dissolution of bitterness. Furthermore, traditional tea beverages often add chemical preservatives such as sodium benzoate to extend shelf life, which does not align with the trend of clean label consumption. Steam explosion technology is a novel physical pretreatment technique that can effectively break down plant cell walls and improve the extraction rate of active ingredients. Recent research (2026, *Food Chemistry*) shows that treating summer tea under 0.6 MPa steam explosion conditions for 180 seconds effectively disrupts cell walls, reduces bitter and astringent substances by 15-35%, and makes the treated tea suitable for cold water brewing. However, there are currently no reports of applying steam explosion technology to the production of functional beverages made from Baiye No. 1 tea leaves, using ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization combined with aseptic filling to achieve long-term preservation with zero added preservatives. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention aims to solve the problems of low extraction rate of active ingredients, high energy consumption, and strong bitterness in the beverage processing of Baiye No. 1 tea, as well as the reliance on chemical preservatives in traditional tea beverages, and provides a steam-explosion Anji white tea functional beverage and its preparation method. Technical solution A steam-explosive Anji white tea functional beverage is prepared by the following method: (1) Preparation of steam-exploded white tea: Adjust the moisture content of Baiye No. 1 tea leaves to 30-50%, load them into a steam explosion device, maintain the pressure at 0.6-0.8MPa for 120-180 seconds, release the pressure instantly and explode, collect the steam explosion material, and dry it to a moisture content ≤10%; (2) Cold brewing extraction: Mix steamed white tea with purified water at a ratio of 1:30-1:50 and soak at 20-40℃ for 20-40 minutes. (3) Filtration: The extract is subjected to coarse filtration and fine filtration to remove solid residue; (4) Sterilization: Ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization (120-135℃, 5-15 seconds) is adopted. (5) Filling: Aseptic filling, and the product is obtained. The product contains no sweeteners, flavorings, preservatives, or other food additives; the ingredient list contains only water and steamed white tea. Beneficial effects Specifically designed for the high-value utilization of Baiye No. 1 tea: Optimized steam explosion parameters (0.6-0.8MPa, 120-180 seconds) for the characteristics of Baiye No. 1 tea, resulting in a cell wall breakage rate of ≥85% and a reduction in bitterness and astringency by 15-35%. Zero added preservatives, long-term storage at room temperature: Using ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization (UHT) combined with aseptic filling technology, the product can achieve a shelf life of 6-18 months at room temperature without adding any preservatives. High retention rate of active ingredients: Cold brew extraction (20-40℃) avoids high-temperature degradation of heat-sensitive components such as theanine, with theanine content ≥150mg / L and retention rate ≥90%. With a refreshing and sweet taste, no added sugar is needed: the steam explosion process reduces bitterness, and the cold brew extraction reduces the dissolution of bitter substances such as catechins, resulting in a naturally sweet product. Energy-saving and environmentally friendly: Cold brew extraction requires no heating, reducing energy consumption by more than 60% compared to traditional hot extraction processes. Attached Figure Description none Detailed Implementation Example Take Baiye No. 1 tea leaves and naturally spread them out at 35℃ until the moisture content reaches 38%. Place them in a steam explosion device, maintain pressure at 0.6MPa for 180 seconds, then instantly release the pressure and explode. Dry at 55℃ until the moisture content is ≤10%. Take the steam-exploded white tea, add purified water at a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:40, and soak and extract at 25℃ for 30 minutes while stirring. Filter through a 300-mesh filter cloth (coarse filtration), a 0.45μm filter membrane (fine filtration), and sterilize at 130℃ for 8 seconds. Aseptically fill into bottles to obtain the final product. Example 2 Baiye No. 1 tea leaves were subjected to steam explosion treatment at 0.4 MPa / 180s and 1.0 MPa / 180s respectively, with the remaining parameters the same as in Example 1. The effects of different steam explosion parameters on the extraction effect were compared, and 0.6 MPa / 180s was selected as the optimal value. Example 3 Take the same batch of steamed white tea and extract it at different temperatures (25℃, 45℃, 65℃, and 85℃) for 30 minutes at a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:40, with the remaining steps the same as in Example 1. Compare the effects of different extraction temperatures on product quality and find that cold brewing extraction at 20-40℃ is preferred. Industrial applicability This invention features a simple, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly process that enables the high-value utilization of Baiye No. 1 tea leaves. The product can be stored at room temperature for a long time without the addition of preservatives, making it suitable for bottled tea beverages, freshly prepared tea drinks, tea concentrates, and other fields. It has good industrial promotion value and market prospects. The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steam-exploded Anji white tea functional beverage, characterized in that, It is prepared by the following method: using steam-explosion treated Baiye No. 1 tea leaves as raw material, mixing with pure water, soaking and extracting at room temperature, solid-liquid separation, ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization, and aseptic filling; the functional beverage does not contain any sweeteners, flavorings, preservatives, or other food additives.

2. The functional beverage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steam-explosion treated Baiye No. 1 tea leaves are prepared by the following method: the moisture content of Baiye No. 1 tea leaves is adjusted to 30-50%, loaded into a steam explosion device, and pressure is maintained at 0.6-0.8MPa for 120-180 seconds, followed by instantaneous pressure release and explosion. The steam-exploded material is collected and dried until the moisture content is ≤10%.

3. The functional beverage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature for soaking and extraction at room temperature is 20-40℃, the extraction time is 20-40 minutes, and the material-to-liquid ratio is 1:30-1:50 (w / v).

4. The functional beverage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The beverage contains ≥150mg / L theanine, 300-500mg / L tea polyphenols, ≥85% cell wall breakage, and 15-35% less bitter and astringent substances compared to untreated tea.

5. A method for preparing the steam-exploded Anji white tea functional beverage according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The process includes the following steps: (1) Preparation of steam-exploded white tea: Adjust the moisture content of Baiye No. 1 tea leaves to 30-50%, maintain pressure at 0.6-0.8MPa for 120-180 seconds, release pressure and burst instantly, and dry to a moisture content of ≤10%; (2) Cold-brewing extraction: Mix the steam-exploded white tea obtained in step (1) with pure water at a ratio of 1:30-1:50, and soak and extract at 20-40℃ for 20-40 minutes; (3) Filtration: Perform coarse and fine filtration on the extract to remove solid residues; (4) Sterilization: Use ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization at a temperature of 120-135℃ for 5-15 seconds; (5) Filling: Aseptic filling to obtain the product.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The tea polyphenol content of Baiye No. 1 tea mentioned in step (1) is 8-14%, and the amino acid content is 2-10%.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cold bubbling extraction process described in step (2) is assisted by stirring or ultrasonic treatment.

8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The coarse filtration in step (3) uses a 200-400 mesh filter screen, and the fine filtration uses a 0.22-0.45μm microporous filter membrane.

9. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization described in step (4) uses a plate or tube heat exchanger.

10. The use of the functional beverage according to any one of claims 1-4 in the preparation of ready-to-drink tea beverages, tea concentrates or tea-flavored foods.