Freeze-Dried Tea Solid Composition for Nutrient Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tea preparation methods, such as loose-leaf tea and tea bags, require separate disposal and are time-consuming, while instant tea powders lose significant nutrients during processing, making them inconvenient and less nutritious.
Innovation Solution
A tea solid composition is created by mixing finely ground tea with a binding agent and water, then heated and cooled in a mold to form a convenient, portable solid that can be dissolved in hot or cold water, potentially including sweeteners, milk, and spices, retaining nutritional value.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If instant tea powder is produced by infusion, extraction and reduction processes, then the tea can be consumed quickly without disposal, but a large percentage of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and catechins are lost during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameters by using freeze-drying instead of conventional high-temperature evaporation. This parameter change preserves heat-sensitive nutrients while still achieving rapid tea preparation. The freeze-drying process maintains the integrity of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and catechins that would otherwise be degraded by thermal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary freezing of the tea extract before drying. This preliminary action creates a solid structure that preserves nutrients during the subsequent drying process. By freezing the extract first, the nutrients are locked in place and protected from degradation, allowing quick preparation later without nutrient loss.
2Reliability
If loose-leaf tea and tea bags are used, then the tea can be brewed traditionally, but the used tea leaves and/or tea bag must be disposed of separately, making the process time-consuming and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tea leaves, sweetener, and milk into a single freeze-dried tablet. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate disposal of tea leaves and eliminates the need for separate addition of sweetener and milk. The user simply dissolves one tablet to get the complete beverage, saving time and effort while maintaining traditional tea brewing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a disposable freeze-dried tea tablet that replaces reusable loose-leaf tea and tea bags. Each tablet is designed for single use, eliminating disposal issues while maintaining convenience. The tablet form factor makes it easy to transport and use without requiring any special equipment or disposal facilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate items (tea leaves, sugar, milk) are obtained and prepared, then each ingredient can be selected independently, but the process becomes time-consuming and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional tea tablet that combines tea, sweetener, and milk into one product. This universal formulation provides convenience for users who want a quick, consistent tea beverage. The tablet performs multiple functions (brewing, sweetening, and providing creaminess) in a single step, while users can still select different tablet varieties to match their preferences.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for a quick, efficient, and convenient preparation of tea while maintaining the desired nutritional content, reducing the time and effort required to make a cup of tea and eliminating the need for separate tea leaves or bags.
Implementation Method 1
heating the mixture in the mold
Implementation Method 2
allowing the mixture to cool in the mold to form the tea solid composition
Implementation Method 3
When placed into hot water, the tea solid composition dissolves and can be immediately consumed
Data Source
AI summary
A tea solid composition comprising a mixture of finely ground tea, a binding agent and water, wherein the mixture forms a tea solid composition in response to heating and subsequent cooling in a mold. The tea solid composition may further include at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a sweetener, a ground spice, a flavor extract, a powdered milk product, a color additive and a thickener.