Method for improving stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverage and application thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a method for improving stability of a compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid drink and application thereof, and belongs to the technical field of health-care product preparation. The method comprises the following steps: after classifying medicinal materials according to chemical components, extracting the medicinal materials with high polysaccharide content, carrying out enzyme hydrolysis on the medicinal materials by using a composite enzyme, killing the enzyme, centrifuging, filtering, and obtaining an extract; decocting medicinal materials with high tannin content, filtering, carrying out chelation treatment, precipitating with gelatin, centrifuging, filtering, and obtaining an extract; crushing medicinal materials with high lipid content, removing lipid, filtering, boiling, filtering again, and obtaining an extract; decocting medicinal materials with high alkaloid content, filtering, cooling, adjusting the pH value to 2-3, stirring until the alkaloid is in a free state, filtering, adjusting the pH value to neutrality, filtering again, and obtaining an extract; and compounding the extracts according to a formula to obtain the compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid drink. Through classification of different traditional Chinese medicine components in the drink formula and targeted extraction, small-molecule active substances can be reserved, and the stability and functionality of the drink are considered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of health product preparation technology, specifically relating to a method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages and its application. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the health industry, functional beverages made from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs have become a market hotspot due to their combined nutritional supplementation and health-regulating value. Among them, compound TCM liquid beverages are favored by consumers pursuing a healthy lifestyle due to their convenient consumption and rapid absorption of ingredients, especially occupying an important position in the instant health beverage market. However, the complex composition of compound TCM systems and their stability issues have always been the core bottleneck restricting the industrialization of such liquid products. Specifically, the active ingredients commonly found in compound TCM raw materials, such as polysaccharides, tannins, oils, and alkaloids, are prone to multiple adverse interactions in aqueous solutions: polysaccharide molecules easily form aggregates through hydrogen bonding, tannins easily react with alkaloids to form insoluble complexes, and oils easily separate due to uneven emulsification. Furthermore, the solubility of these components decreases further with changes in storage temperature and pH fluctuations, ultimately leading to precipitation, turbidity, or separation during storage. Such stability issues not only severely damage the uniformity of product appearance, but also lead to a rough texture and deteriorated flavor. Furthermore, the release of active ingredients can reduce product efficacy, significantly shorten the commercial shelf life, and cause huge production and storage losses for enterprises.

[0003] To address these issues, existing technologies primarily employ two approaches: one is to circumvent the instability of liquid systems by producing herbal extracts in the form of granules, freeze-dried powders, or other solid beverages, requiring additional reconstitution before consumption; the other is to add chemically synthesized stabilizers such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan gum, and pectin to liquid products, maintaining system homogeneity through thickening and emulsification. However, both solutions have significant drawbacks and are ill-suited to current market trends: the former fundamentally alters the immediate consumption nature of liquid beverages, increasing consumer costs and operational steps, contradicting the immediate consumption demands of modern fast-paced lifestyles; the latter relies on non-natural chemical additives, severely conflicting with the current market trend towards clean labels—modern consumers increasingly demand transparency in food and beverage ingredients, and all-natural ingredients have become a core consideration when choosing healthy drinks, leading to the marginalization of products containing chemical stabilizers.

[0004] In summary, current stability solutions for compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages have significant technical shortcomings, failing to simultaneously address the product's natural properties, immediate consumption convenience, and long-term stability. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a breakthrough technology that regulates component interactions from the production process source, achieving long-term clarity, uniformity, and stable storage of liquid products without the addition of any chemical stabilizers. This is of great significance for promoting the industrial upgrading of compound traditional Chinese medicine functional beverages and meeting the market's demand for natural and healthy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a method and its application for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages, so as to solve the technical problem that existing compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages need to add chemical stabilizers to improve stability.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution: The first aspect of this invention discloses a method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages, comprising the following steps: 1) Classify the medicinal materials in the compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverage according to their chemical composition, and then prepare a clear extract of the medicinal materials according to the following method: For medicinal materials with a polysaccharide content ≥5.0 wt%, the medicinal materials are pulverized and extracted with 5 to 10 times the amount of water to obtain a medicinal solution; the medicinal solution is heated to 50 to 60℃, and 0.1% to 0.3% of a compound enzyme is added for enzymatic hydrolysis. After enzyme inactivation, cooling, centrifugation, and filtration, a medicinal material extract containing polysaccharides is obtained. For medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥3.0wt%, the decoction is prepared and filtered to obtain a medicinal liquid. After cooling, the liquid is chelated, gelatin is precipitated, and a solution of disodium EDTA and gelatin is added. The mixture is stirred until turbidity appears, then allowed to stand, centrifuged, and filtered to obtain a medicinal extract containing tannins. For medicinal materials with a lipid content ≥2.0wt%, the medicinal materials are pulverized and defatted by stirring with anhydrous ethanol at 20℃, and the ethanol is filtered off to obtain defatted medicinal materials; the defatted medicinal materials are boiled with 5 to 8 times the amount of water for 30 minutes, filtered, and a medicinal material extract containing lipids is obtained. For medicinal materials with an alkaloid content ≥0.5wt%, the medicinal materials are boiled with 5 times the amount of water and filtered to obtain a medicinal solution. After the medicinal solution is cooled, the pH value is adjusted to 2~3, stirred, filtered, and the pH value is adjusted to neutral. It is then filtered again to obtain a medicinal material extract containing alkaloids. If a single medicinal herb meets the content index of two or more of the above components, first prepare the herb extract using the process corresponding to any one component, and then use the herb extract as the base for the liquid to complete the subsequent processing steps of the remaining components in sequence. 2) The clarified extract of the medicinal materials obtained in step 1) is compounded according to the formula to obtain a compound Chinese medicine liquid beverage.

[0007] Preferably, the medicinal materials with a polysaccharide content ≥5.0 wt% are one or more of the following: yam, Solomon's seal, lily bulb, fox nut, poria cocos, polygonatum sibiricum, kudzu root, coix seed, lotus seed, jujube, longan pulp, wolfberry, sea buckthorn, amla fruit, kelp, oyster shell, dendrobium officinale, ganoderma lucidum, cornus officinalis, gastrodia elata, rehmannia glutinosa, ophiopogon japonicus, asparagus cochinchinensis, codonopsis pilosula, astragalus membranaceus, American ginseng, and cistanche deserticola.

[0008] Preferably, in the extraction process of medicinal materials with a polysaccharide content ≥ 5.0 wt%, the complex enzyme is α-amylase, saccharifying enzyme, pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, β-glucanase and mannanase.

[0009] Preferably, the medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥3.0wt% are one or more of the following: hawthorn, dried plum, papaya, amla, green plum, sea buckthorn, mulberry, dandelion, sophora flower, sophora flower bud, small thistle, houttuynia cordata, fresh imperata root, lotus leaf, light bamboo leaf, chrysanthemum, mint, tangerine peel, tangerine peel, and tangerine peel.

[0010] Preferably, in the extraction process of medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥ 3.0 wt%, disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate is used as a chelating agent.

[0011] More preferably, in the extraction process of medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥3.0wt%, the amount of disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate added is 0.05%~0.1% of the total solution volume, and the amount of gelatin solution added is 1% of the total solution volume.

[0012] Preferably, the medicinal materials with a lipid content ≥2.0wt% are one or more of the following: clove, star anise, fennel, nutmeg, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, black pepper, cardamom, turmeric, long pepper, galangal, perilla, perilla seed, sesame, hemp seed, apricot kernel, radish seed, yellow mustard seed, apricot kernel, peach kernel, and torreya seed.

[0013] Preferably, in the extraction process of medicinal materials with a lipid content ≥ 2.0 wt%, the material-to-liquid ratio is 1:5 during the anhydrous ethanol soaking process.

[0014] Preferably, the medicinal materials with an alkaloid content ≥0.5wt% are one or more of the following: Cassia seed, Gardenia fruit, Sterculia lychnophora, Alpinia oxyphylla, Alpinia galanga, ginger, Patchouli, Elsholtzia ciliata, Angelica sinensis, Carthamus tinctorius, Dendrobium nobile, Gastrodia elata, and Eucommia ulmoides leaf.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present invention discloses the application of the above-described method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages in the preparation of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention provides a method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages. By classifying different Chinese medicine components in the compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverage and then extracting them in a targeted manner, the following methods are provided: 1) This method can completely solve the problem of polysaccharide precipitation in the beverage, retaining the active ingredients (such as oligosaccharides) after polysaccharide decomposition, resulting in a more refreshing taste, and no precipitation after 1-3 months at room temperature; 2) This method can completely remove the root cause of tannin precipitation, resulting in high clarity of the liquid and avoiding the formation of yellowish-white flocculent precipitates after standing, while retaining effective components such as flavonoids and volatile oils; 3) This method can completely remove oil from the beverage, resulting in no oil flocculent precipitates, a smooth taste, and no stratification after more than 6 months at room temperature; 4) This method can avoid the precipitation of alkaloid salts in the beverage, resulting in high stability of the liquid, while enriching effective components such as alkaloids and flavonoids, leading to more concentrated efficacy. Therefore, this method, through precise adjustment of the extraction process, eliminates the need for extract concentration and the addition of any stabilizers to the beverage. It ensures that the beverage remains free of significant sedimentation for up to six months at room temperature, without affecting its appearance or taste. This fundamentally overcomes the stability challenge of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages, avoiding reliance on chemically synthesized stabilizers or preservatives. Through the aforementioned source treatment process, the final product remains clear and transparent, free of visible sediment, flocculent matter, or oil layers, even after storage at room temperature for more than six months. Furthermore, while removing unstable components, this process, through ultrafiltration and pH control, selectively retains small-molecule active substances, balancing product stability and functionality. This results in a clear, refreshing, and smooth compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverage with a clear process route suitable for large-scale production, demonstrating significant industrial application value.

[0017] Furthermore, a multi-enzyme complex system is used to extract medicinal materials with high water-soluble polysaccharide content. The synergistic effect of multiple enzymes can broadly destroy the cell wall structure of different types of medicinal materials and efficiently release intracellular target substances. There is no need to conduct systematic analysis of matrix components for different high water-soluble polysaccharide medicinal materials one by one, which significantly simplifies the pretreatment process and improves extraction efficiency and extract clarity. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 These are photographs of beverages with the same formula prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 of the present invention after being stored for different times. Figure 2 These are photographs taken of beverages with the same formula prepared in Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 of the present invention after being stored for different times; Figure 3 These are photographs taken after storing beverages with the same formula prepared in Example 3 and Comparative Example 3 of the present invention for different periods of time. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To enable those skilled in the art to understand the features and effects of the present invention, the following descriptions and definitions are only general descriptions of the terms and expressions mentioned in the specification and claims. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art regarding the present invention, and in the event of any conflict, the definitions in this specification shall prevail.

[0020] The theories or mechanisms described and disclosed herein, whether right or wrong, should not in any way limit the scope of the invention, that is, the contents of the invention can be implemented without being limited by any particular theory or mechanism.

[0021] In this document, all features defined by numerical ranges or percentage ranges, such as numerical values, quantities, contents, and concentrations, are for the sake of brevity and convenience only. Accordingly, descriptions of numerical ranges or percentage ranges should be considered as covering and specifically disclosing all possible sub-ranges and individual numerical values ​​(including integers and fractions) within those ranges.

[0022] In this article, unless otherwise specified, “contains,” “includes,” “containing,” “has,” or similar terms cover the meanings of “composed of” and “mainly composed of,” for example, “A contains a” covers the meanings of “A contains a and others” and “A contains only a.”

[0023] For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in each implementation scheme or embodiment are described herein. Therefore, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, the technical features in each implementation scheme or embodiment can be combined arbitrarily, and all possible combinations should be considered within the scope of this specification.

[0024] This invention provides a method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages, comprising the following steps: 1. Classify the medicinal materials in the compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverage according to their chemical composition, and then prepare a clear extract of the medicinal materials according to the following method: For medicinal materials with a water-soluble polysaccharide content ≥5.0 wt%, the medicinal materials are pulverized and extracted with 5-10 times the amount of water for 1-2 hours. The extract is then heated to 50-60℃ for 30 minutes. 0.3%-0.5% of a complex enzyme (including α-amylase, saccharifying enzyme, pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, β-glucanase, and mannanase in equal mass ratios) is added to the total solution volume and incubated for 3-8 hours. The enzyme is then inactivated by heating to 90℃ for 10 minutes, cooled to 15-25℃, and centrifuged at 10000 r / min for 20 minutes. The supernatant is collected. The supernatant is filtered through an ultrafiltration membrane, and the permeate (small molecule components) is collected as the clarified extract. The medicinal materials with a water-soluble polysaccharide content ≥5.0 wt% include, but are not limited to, yam, Solomon's seal, lily, foxnut, poria, polygonatum, kudzu root, coix seed, lotus seed, jujube, longan pulp, wolfberry, sea buckthorn, amla, kelp, oyster, dendrobium officinale, ganoderma, cornus officinalis, gastrodia elata, rehmannia glutinosa, ophiopogon japonicus, asparagus cochinchinensis, codonopsis pilosula, astragalus membranaceus, American ginseng, or cistanche deserticola.

[0025] For medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥3.0wt%, decoct the medicinal materials with purified water (add 5~10 times the amount of water, boil for 30 min), filter and collect the decoction; cool the decoction to below 30℃, add 0.05%~0.1% of the total volume of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium (EDTA-2Na), stir for 10 min; slowly add 1% of the total volume of gelatin solution (stirring while adding), stop when the decoction becomes severely turbid, let stand for 2 h, centrifuge at 10000 r / min for 15 min, collect the supernatant and filter; The medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥3.0wt% include, but are not limited to, hawthorn, dried plum, papaya, amla, green plum, sea buckthorn, mulberry, dandelion, sophora flower, sophora flower bud, small thistle, houttuynia cordata, fresh imperata root, lotus leaf, light bamboo leaf, chrysanthemum, mint, tangerine peel, tangerine peel or tangerine peel; the degree of turbidity is judged by the turbidity contribution coefficient (R=T800 nm / T600 nm): R is 0.95~1.05, clear; R is 1.06~1.20, slightly turbid; R is >1.2, severely turbid.

[0026] For medicinal materials with a lipid content ≥2.0wt%, after the medicinal materials are pulverized, they are soaked in anhydrous ethanol (material-to-liquid ratio 1:5) for 30 minutes, and then degreased by stirring at a low temperature of 15~35℃. The ethanol is removed by filtration to obtain degreased medicinal materials. The degreased medicinal materials are then added to 5~8 times the amount of purified water, boiled for 30 minutes, and the liquid is filtered to obtain the medicinal liquid. The medicinal materials with a lipid content ≥2.0wt% include, but are not limited to, cloves, star anise, fennel, nutmeg, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, black pepper, cardamom, turmeric, long pepper, galangal, perilla, perilla seeds, sesame, hemp seeds, apricot kernels, radish seeds, yellow mustard seeds, apricot kernels, peach kernels, or torreya seeds.

[0027] For medicinal materials with an alkaloid content ≥0.5wt%, add 5 times the amount of water to the medicinal material, boil for 30 minutes, filter and collect the liquid, and cool to 25℃; adjust the pH value to 2~3 with 1 mol / L hydrochloric acid, stir for 10 minutes (the alkaloids are in a free state), filter and collect the supernatant; adjust the pH value to 6.5~7.5 with 1 mol / L sodium hydroxide (neutral, to avoid irritating the gastrointestinal tract), and filter to clarify; The medicinal materials with an alkaloid content ≥0.5wt% include, but are not limited to, cassia seed, gardenia, sterculia lychnophora, alpinia oxyphylla, galangal, ginger, patchouli, eucommia ulmoides, angelica sinensis, safflower, dendrobium, gastrodia elata, or eucommia ulmoides leaf.

[0028] If a single medicinal herb meets the content indicators of two or more of the above components, the extraction is first completed according to the process corresponding to one type of component to obtain the herb extract; then, using the herb extract as a base, the subsequent processing steps corresponding to the remaining components are carried out in sequence, without the need to extract the herb again.

[0029] 2. The clarified extract of the medicinal materials obtained in step 1 is compounded according to the beverage formula to obtain a compound Chinese medicine liquid beverage.

[0030] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading this description, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to the invention, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0031] The following examples use instruments and equipment conventional in the art. Experimental methods in the following examples, unless otherwise specified, are generally performed under standard conditions or as recommended by the manufacturer. All raw materials used in the following examples are conventional commercially available products with specifications in the art, unless otherwise stated.

[0032] I. Methods to improve the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages Example 1 Each 1000 mL of the compound Chinese herbal decoction is made from 15 g of jujube seed, 10 g of gastrodia elata, 5 g of chrysanthemum, 10 g of wolfberry and 14 g of jujube medicinal materials through extraction.

[0033] 1. Classify medicinal materials for prescription according to their chemical composition. Medicinal herbs with high polysaccharide content: Gastrodia elata, wolfberry, and jujube (water-soluble polysaccharide content ≥ 5.0 wt%). Herbs with high tannin content: Ziziphus jujuba seed and chrysanthemum (tannin content ≥ 3.0 wt%). 2. Extraction of polysaccharides from medicinal herbs (Gastrodia elata, Lycium barbarum, Jujube) 1) Raw material extraction: Grind 10 g of Gastrodia elata, 10 g of wolfberry and 14 g of jujube into 10 mesh coarse powder and mix evenly; then add 10 times the amount of purified water, soak at room temperature for 2 hours, stir and extract for 30 minutes to obtain the extract; 2) Enzymatic hydrolysis: The extract was heated to 50°C, and 0.02 g each of α-amylase, saccharifying enzyme, pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, β-glucanase and mannanase were added. The mixture was incubated for 5 h with a magnetic stirrer. Then the temperature was raised to 90°C and incubated for 10 min to inactivate the enzyme activity. The mixture was cooled to 20°C and centrifuged at 10,000 r / min for 20 min. The supernatant was collected. 3) Ultrafiltration: The obtained supernatant is filtered through a 20000 Da ultrafiltration membrane, and the filtrate 1 is collected.

[0034] 3. Extraction of tannin-containing medicinal materials (sour jujube seed, chrysanthemum) 1) Decoction extraction: Crush 15 g of jujube seeds and 5 g of chrysanthemum flowers, mix them together, add 7 times the amount of purified water, boil for 30 minutes, filter while hot through a 300-mesh filter cloth, and collect about 100 mL of the initial filtrate. 2) Chelation treatment: Cool the initial filtrate to 28°C, add 0.05% of the volume of the initial filtrate of EDTA-2Na, and stir magnetically for 10 min to obtain the chelate solution; 3) Gelatin precipitation: Slowly add 1% gelatin solution (1 g gelatin dissolved in 100 mL of purified water) to the chelating solution, and monitor the turbidity contribution coefficient R in real time. Stop adding when the R value reaches >1.20 and let stand for 2 h. 4) Centrifugation and filtration: Centrifuge the product obtained in step 2) at 10000 r / min for 15 min, take the supernatant and filter it with a 0.45 μm water filter head, and collect the clear filtrate 2.

[0035] 4. Compound formulation and finished product preparation Pour filtrate 1 and filtrate 2 into a sterile mixing tank, stir well, and add purified water to 1000 mL; adjust the pH of the system to 7.0 with 0.1 mol / L hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide, then filter with a 0.45 μm water filter head and collect the clear filtrate; sterilize using a high-temperature instantaneous sterilization process (135℃, 5 s); then fill into glass bottles under aseptic conditions and seal to obtain the compound traditional Chinese medicine decoction product.

[0036] Example 2 Each 1000 mL of the compound Chinese herbal decoction is made from 10 g of peach kernel, 12 g of rehmannia root, and 15 g of hemp seed through extraction.

[0037] 1. Classify medicinal materials for prescription according to their chemical composition. Medicinal herbs with high polysaccharide content: Rehmannia glutinosa (water-soluble polysaccharide content ≥ 5.0 wt%); Herbs with high lipid content: peach kernel, hemp seed (fat oil content ≥2.0 wt%); Medicinal materials with high tannin content: Peach kernel (tannin content ≥3.0 wt% after defatting).

[0038] 2. Extraction of polysaccharides from medicinal herbs (Rehmannia glutinosa) 1) Raw material extraction: Take 12 g of Rehmannia glutinosa slices and crush them to 20 mesh. Add 5 times the amount of purified water, soak at room temperature for 1 hour, and then extract at 50℃ with stirring for 30 minutes to obtain crude Rehmannia glutinosa extract. 2) Enzymatic hydrolysis: The crude extract of Rehmannia glutinosa was heated to 56℃, and 0.02 g each of α-amylase, saccharifying enzyme, pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, β-glucanase and mannanase were added. The mixture was incubated for 6 h for enzymatic hydrolysis. Then, the enzymes were inactivated at 90℃ for 10 min, cooled to 15℃, and centrifuged at 10000 r / min for 20 min. The clear supernatant was collected. 3) Ultrafiltration: The obtained supernatant was filtered through a 0.45 μm aqueous filter head, and the extract was collected and denoted as extract 1.

[0039] 3. Extraction of lipid-based medicinal materials (peach kernel, hemp seed) 1) Degreasing treatment: Grind 10 g of peach kernels and 15 g of hemp seeds into 20 mesh, mix them evenly, add 125 mL of anhydrous ethanol, stir at 25℃ for 30 min to degrease, filter with 300 mesh filter cloth to remove ethanol solvent, and collect the solid medicinal material residue after degreasing. 2) Decoction extraction: Add 7 times the amount of purified water to the defatted medicinal residue, heat to a boil and keep it simmering for 30 minutes. After decoction, filter and collect the initial filtrate.

[0040] 4. Tannin treatment (for defatted peach kernels) 1) Chelation treatment: Cool the initial filtrate obtained in step 3 to 27°C, add 0.08% of EDTA-2Na by volume of the initial filtrate, stir for 10 min to obtain the chelation solution; 2) Gelatin precipitation: Add 1% gelatin solution (1 g gelatin dissolved in 100 mL of purified water) dropwise to the chelating solution, monitor the turbidity contribution coefficient R in real time, and stop adding when the R value reaches >1.20, and let stand for 2 h; 3) Centrifugation and filtration: Centrifuge the product obtained in step 2) at 10000 r / min for 15 min, collect the supernatant, filter it through 0.45 μm, collect the clear filtrate, and record it as lipid + tannin clear extract 2.

[0041] 5. Compound formulation and finished product preparation Pour extract 1 and extract 2 into a sterile mixing tank, stir well, and add purified water to make up to 1000 mL; adjust the pH of the system to 7.0 with 0.1 mol / L hydrochloric acid solution or sodium hydroxide solution, and sterilize using a high-temperature instantaneous sterilization process (135℃, 5s); then fill into glass bottles under sterile conditions, seal, and obtain the compound Chinese medicine decoction product.

[0042] Example 3 Each 1000 mL of the compound Chinese herbal decoction is made from 12 g of cassia seed, 6 g of chrysanthemum, 10 g of wolfberry, 8 g of hawthorn and 3 g of licorice root through extraction.

[0043] 1. Classify medicinal materials for prescription according to their chemical composition. Herbs with high alkaloid complex content: Cassia seed (total alkaloid content ≥ 0.5 wt%); Medicinal herbs with high polysaccharide content: wolfberry, licorice (water-soluble polysaccharide content ≥5.0 wt%); Herbs with high tannin content: Chrysanthemum, Hawthorn (tannin content ≥ 3.0 wt%); 2. Extraction of alkaloid medicinal materials (Cassia seed) 1) Raw material extraction: Take 12 g of cassia seeds and crush them into 20 mesh coarse powder to remove impurities; add 5 times the amount of purified water, heat to boiling for 30 min, filter while hot through a 300 mesh filter cloth, and collect about 50 mL of the initial filtrate. 2) Acidification and release: Cool 50 mL of the initial filtrate to 25°C, slowly adjust the pH to 2.5 with 1 mol / L hydrochloric acid solution, and stir magnetically for 10 min to ensure that the alkaloids are completely in a free state; 3) Filtration to remove impurities: Filter the acidified solution with a 0.45 μm aqueous filter to remove insoluble impurities and collect about 48 mL of supernatant; 4) Neutralization and clarification: Slowly adjust the pH value to 7.0 with 1 mol / L sodium hydroxide solution, stir for 5 min, filter through 0.45 μm, collect the clear filtrate, and record it as extract 1.

[0044] 3. Extraction of polysaccharides from medicinal herbs (goji berries, licorice) 1) Raw material extraction: Take 10 g of wolfberry and 3 g of licorice and grind them to 20 mesh, mix them evenly; add 7 times the amount of purified water, soak at room temperature for 30 min, and then extract at 60℃ for 30 min to obtain crude polysaccharide extract; 2) Enzymatic hydrolysis: The crude polysaccharide extract was heated to 55℃, and 0.019 g each of α-amylase, saccharifying enzyme, pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, β-glucanase and mannanase were added. The mixture was incubated for 6 h with a magnetic stirrer. Then the temperature was raised to 90℃ and incubated for 10 min to inactivate the enzyme activity. The mixture was cooled to 20℃ and centrifuged at 10000 r / min for 20 min. The clear supernatant was collected. 3) Ultrafiltration: Filter the obtained supernatant through a 0.45 μm aqueous filter head, collect the clear filtrate, and record it as extract 2.

[0045] 4. Extraction of tannin-containing medicinal materials (chrysanthemum + hawthorn) 1) Decoction extraction: Take 6 g of chrysanthemum powder, 8 g of hawthorn slices, mix them and add 7 times the amount of purified water, heat to boiling for 30 minutes, filter with 300 mesh filter cloth and collect the initial filtrate. 2) Chelation treatment: Cool the initial filtrate to 27°C, add 0.08% of the volume of the initial filtrate of EDTA-2Na, stir for 10 min to obtain the chelate solution; 3) Gelatin precipitation: Slowly add 1% gelatin solution (1 g gelatin dissolved in 100 mL of purified water) to the chelating solution while stirring. Monitor the turbidity contribution coefficient R in real time. Stop adding when the R value reaches >1.20 and let stand for 2 h. 4) Centrifugation and filtration: Centrifuge the product obtained in step 3) at 10000 r / min for 15 min, take the supernatant and filter it with a 0.45 μm filter head, collect the clear filtrate and record it as extract 3.

[0046] 5. Compound formulation and finished product preparation Pour extract 1, extract 2 and extract 3 into a sterile mixing tank, stir well, and add purified water to 1000 mL; adjust the pH of the system to 7.0 with 0.1 mol / L hydrochloric acid solution or sodium hydroxide solution to ensure stability; sterilize using a high-temperature instantaneous sterilization process (135℃, 5 s); then fill into glass bottles under aseptic conditions and seal to obtain the compound Chinese medicine decoction product.

[0047] Comparative Example 1 The difference from Example 1 is that it is prepared by decoction extraction.

[0048] 1. Raw material pretreatment: Mix 15 g of jujube seed, 10 g of gastrodia elata, 5 g of chrysanthemum, 10 g of wolfberry and 14 g of jujube medicinal material, grind them into 10-20 mesh coarse powder, mix evenly and set aside.

[0049] 2. High-temperature mixed decoction extraction: Put the mixed coarse powder of medicinal materials into a Chinese medicine extraction tank, add 10 times the amount of purified water, and decoct at 100℃ under normal pressure for 30 minutes; after decoction, filter while hot using a 300-mesh filter cloth and collect the first extraction filtrate; add 10 times the amount of purified water to the filter residue again, decoct at 100℃ for 30 minutes a second time, and filter a second time; add 10 times the amount of purified water to the filter residue again, decoct at 100℃ for 30 minutes a third time, and filter a third time, and combine the filtrates obtained from the three decoctions.

[0050] 3. Coarse filtration: The combined filtrate is filtered again using a 300-mesh filter cloth to remove medicinal residues and large suspended particles, resulting in a crude beverage concentrate.

[0051] 4. Volume adjustment, sterilization and filling: Add purified water to the crude stock solution to make up to 2000 mL and stir well; sterilize by high temperature instantaneous sterilization process (135℃, 5 s), fill and seal under aseptic conditions to obtain the finished product of calming and vision-improving drink prepared by traditional process.

[0052] Comparative Example 2 The difference from Example 2 is that it is prepared by decoction extraction.

[0053] 1. Raw material pretreatment: Mix 10 g of peach kernel, 12 g of rehmannia root and 15 g of hemp seed, grind them into coarse powder of 10-20 mesh, mix evenly and set aside.

[0054] 2. High-temperature mixed decoction extraction: Put the mixed coarse powder of medicinal materials into a Chinese medicine extraction tank, add 10 times the amount of purified water, and decoct at 100℃ under normal pressure for 30 minutes; after decoction, filter while hot using a 300-mesh filter cloth and collect the first extraction filtrate; add 10 times the amount of purified water to the filter residue again, decoct at 100℃ for 30 minutes a second time, and filter a second time; add 10 times the amount of purified water to the filter residue again, decoct at 100℃ for 30 minutes a third time, and filter a third time, and combine the filtrates obtained from the three decoctions.

[0055] 3. Coarse filtration: The combined filtrate is filtered again using a 300-mesh filter cloth to remove medicinal residues and large suspended particles, resulting in a crude beverage concentrate.

[0056] 4. Volume adjustment, sterilization and filling: Add purified water to the crude stock solution to adjust the volume to 1000 mL and stir well; sterilize by high temperature instantaneous sterilization process (135℃, 5 s), fill and seal under aseptic conditions to obtain the finished product of the bowel-nourishing drink prepared by traditional process.

[0057] Comparative Example 3 The difference from Example 3 is that it is prepared by decoction extraction.

[0058] 1. Raw material pretreatment: Mix 12 g of cassia seed, 6 g of chrysanthemum, 10 g of wolfberry, 8 g of hawthorn and 3 g of licorice, grind them into 10-20 mesh coarse powder, mix evenly and set aside.

[0059] 2. High-temperature mixed decoction extraction: Put the mixed coarse powder of medicinal materials into a Chinese medicine extraction tank, add 10 times the amount of purified water, and decoct at 100℃ under normal pressure for 30 minutes; after decoction, filter while hot using a 300-mesh filter cloth and collect the first extraction filtrate; add 10 times the amount of purified water to the filter residue again, decoct at 100℃ for 30 minutes a second time, and filter a second time; add 10 times the amount of purified water to the filter residue again, decoct at 100℃ for 30 minutes a third time, and filter a third time, and combine the filtrates obtained from the three decoctions.

[0060] 3. Coarse filtration: The combined filtrate is filtered again using a 300-mesh filter cloth to remove medicinal residues and large suspended particles, resulting in a crude beverage concentrate.

[0061] 4. Volume adjustment, sterilization and filling: Add purified water to the crude stock solution to adjust the volume to 1500 mL and stir well; sterilize by high temperature instantaneous sterilization process (135℃, 5 s), fill and seal under aseptic conditions to obtain the finished product of Qingrun Shugan Drink prepared by traditional process.

[0062] II. Evaluation of the effectiveness of methods to improve the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages Three groups of beverages with the same formula were prepared using the process of the present invention (Examples 1 / 2 / 3) and the traditional high-temperature co-decoction process (corresponding to Example 1 / 2 / 3). After being bottled and sealed, the beverages were stored in a room temperature, light-proof environment. Samples were taken on day 0, day 30, and day 90 for testing. The transmittance, turbidity, and sedimentation rate of each sample were tested, and sensory evaluation was conducted. Photos of the samples were also taken.

[0063] Table 1. Changes in turbidity contribution coefficients for Example 1 and Comparative Example 1

[0064] Table 2. Changes in turbidity contribution coefficients for Example 2 and Comparative Example 2

[0065] Table 3. Changes in turbidity contribution coefficients for Example 3 and Comparative Example 3

[0066] The results are as follows Figures 1-3 As shown in Tables 1-3, it can be seen that the sample of Example 1 remained uniformly light brownish-yellow throughout, without browning or blackening, and had a stable taste, without any rancidity or musty taste; it was smooth and mellow on the palate, without significant bitterness or astringency, and showed no deterioration in sensory characteristics; the sample of Comparative Example 1 continued to darken and darken in color with prolonged storage time; its aroma faded after 30 days, and a musty taste appeared after 60 days, indicating a significant deterioration in flavor. Figure 1 Table 1). The sample in Example 2 was light yellowish-brown throughout, with a uniform color; the aroma of Rehmannia glutinosa was warm and stable, and the taste was smooth and mellow; the sample in Comparative Example 2 darkened in color after 30 days, and after 90 days, sediment at the bottom brought a rough, gritty feel, resulting in a significant decline in sensory quality. Figure 2 Table 2). The sample of Example 3 was a uniform, bright, light golden yellow, with a harmonious blend of sweet and sour aromas from cassia seed and hawthorn, without any rancid or simmered taste; it was palatable with no bitterness. The sample of Comparative Example 3, after storage, continued to darken and turn brown; its sweet and sour aroma diminished after 30 days; and after 90 days, a sour and astringent taste appeared, indicating a flavor imbalance. Figure 3(Table 3). The results of the 90-day room temperature stability tracking of Examples 1-3 and corresponding proportions 1-3 show that: existing traditional high-temperature water extraction processes for mixed medicinal materials result in precipitation, stratification, and turbidity in samples after short-term storage, and browning and flavor deterioration after long-term storage; while the present invention, based on the differentiated extraction according to the chemical composition of medicinal materials, and combined with a low-temperature enzymatic hydrolysis, metal ion chelation, gelatin detanning, lipid defatting, and multi-stage ultrafiltration clarification process, ensured that all three groups of different formulations of medicinal and edible beverages remained clear and free of precipitation after 90 days of room temperature storage, with stable turbidity; and while significantly improving physical storage stability, the beverages showed no significant deterioration in color, aroma, and taste at each stage, fully preserving the original sensory quality of the product. This effectively overcomes the common industry problems of easy precipitation, short shelf life, and flavor degradation in existing Chinese herbal beverages, and possesses extremely high industrialization and promotion value.

[0067] The above content is only for illustrating the technical concept of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications made to the technical solution based on the technical concept proposed in this invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: 1) Classify the medicinal materials in the compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverage according to their chemical composition, and then prepare a clear extract of the medicinal materials according to the following method: For medicinal materials with a polysaccharide content ≥5.0wt%, the medicinal materials are pulverized and extracted with 5 to 10 times the amount of water to obtain a medicinal solution; The medicinal solution is heated to 50-60℃, and 0.1%-0.3% of a compound enzyme is added for enzymatic hydrolysis. After enzyme inactivation, cooling, centrifugation, and filtration, a medicinal extract containing polysaccharides is obtained. For medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥3.0wt%, the decoction is prepared by boiling the medicinal materials and then filtering to obtain the medicinal liquid; After the medicinal solution is cooled, it is chelated to precipitate gelatin. Disodium EDTA and gelatin solution are added and stirred until turbidity appears. The mixture is then allowed to stand, centrifuged, and filtered to obtain a medicinal extract containing tannins. For medicinal materials with a lipid content ≥2.0wt%, the medicinal materials are pulverized and defatted by stirring with anhydrous ethanol at 20℃, and the ethanol is filtered off to obtain defatted medicinal materials; the defatted medicinal materials are boiled with 5 to 8 times the amount of water for 30 minutes, filtered, and a medicinal material extract containing lipids is obtained. For medicinal materials with an alkaloid content ≥0.5wt%, the medicinal materials are boiled with 5 times the amount of water and filtered to obtain the medicinal liquid; After the medicinal solution is cooled, the pH value is adjusted to 2-3, stirred, filtered, and the pH value is adjusted to neutral. After filtering again, the medicinal extract containing alkaloids is obtained. If a single medicinal herb meets the content index of two or more of the above components, first prepare the herb extract using the process corresponding to any one component, and then use the herb extract as the base for the liquid to complete the subsequent processing steps of the remaining components in sequence. 2) The clarified extract of the medicinal materials obtained in step 1) is compounded according to the formula to obtain a compound Chinese medicine liquid beverage.

2. The method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that, The medicinal materials with a polysaccharide content ≥5.0 wt% are one or more of the following: yam, Solomon's seal, lily bulb, fox nut, poria cocos, polygonatum rhizome, kudzu root, coix seed, lotus seed, jujube, longan pulp, wolfberry, sea buckthorn, amla fruit, kelp, oyster shell, dendrobium officinale, ganoderma lucidum, cornus officinalis, gastrodia elata, rehmannia root, ophiopogon japonicus, asparagus root, codonopsis pilosula, astragalus membranaceus, American ginseng, and cistanche deserticola.

3. The method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the extraction process of medicinal materials with a polysaccharide content ≥ 5.0 wt%, the complex enzymes are α-amylase, saccharifying enzyme, pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, β-glucanase and mannanase.

4. The method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that, The medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥3.0wt% are one or more of the following: hawthorn, dried plum, papaya, amla, green fruit, sea buckthorn, mulberry, dandelion, sophora flower, sophora flower bud, small thistle, houttuynia cordata, fresh imperata root, lotus leaf, light bamboo leaf, chrysanthemum, mint, tangerine peel, tangerine peel, and tangerine peel.

5. The method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the extraction process of medicinal materials with a tannin content ≥3.0wt%, disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate is used as a chelating agent.

6. The method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to claim 5, characterized in that, In the extraction process of medicinal materials with tannin content ≥3.0wt%, the amount of disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate added is 0.05%~0.1% of the total solution volume, and the amount of gelatin solution added is 1% of the total solution volume.

7. The method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that, The medicinal materials with a lipid content ≥2.0wt% are one or more of the following: clove, star anise, fennel, nutmeg, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, black pepper, cardamom, turmeric, long pepper, galangal, perilla, perilla seed, sesame, hemp seed, apricot kernel, radish seed, yellow mustard seed, apricot kernel, peach kernel, and torreya seed.

8. The method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the extraction process of medicinal materials with lipid content ≥2.0wt%, the material-to-liquid ratio is 1:5 during the anhydrous ethanol soaking process.

9. The method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to claim 1, characterized in that, The medicinal materials with an alkaloid content ≥0.5wt% are one or more of the following: Cassia seed, Gardenia fruit, Sterculia lychnophora, Alpinia oxyphylla, Alpinia galanga, ginger, Patchouli, Elsholtzia ciliata, Angelica sinensis, Carthamus tinctorius, Dendrobium nobile, Gastrodia elata, and Eucommia ulmoides leaf.

10. The application of the method for improving the stability of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages according to any one of claims 1 to 9 in the preparation of compound traditional Chinese medicine liquid beverages.

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