A process for the preparation of beverage precursor comprising tea material and food-grade additive

Abstract

A process for manufacturing a beverage precursor comprising the steps of: a) providing fresh tea leaf and / or stem; then b) c) d) e) heat-treating the fresh leaf and / or stem to arrest enzyme action; then macerating the fresh leaf and / or stem with a rotorvane and at least one CTC process,; then drying the macerated leaf and / or stem; then optionally sorting the dried macerated leaf and / or stem according to particle size; and f) combining the macerated leaf and / or stem with food-grade additive, preferably particulate food-grade additive.