Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract Enrichment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current functional foods and dietary supplements fail to provide simultaneous improvements in cognitive performance and relaxation while also effectively managing blood sugar levels, particularly for mentally active individuals with unbalanced diets and sedentary lifestyles.
Innovation Solution
A decaffeinated green tea extract enriched with at least 6.0% L-theanine and 3.0% theogallin, with a maximum of 0.03% caffeine, is produced through an aqueous extraction, liquid-liquid extraction using ethyl acetate, absorptive enrichment with functionalized divinylbenzene, and concentration to achieve a composition that enhances cognitive performance and regulates glucose uptake.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If caffeine is removed from green tea extract, then harmful side effects (insomnia, inner restlessness, reduction in cerebral blood flow) are reduced, but stimulating cognitive performance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by removing caffeine from green tea extract while retaining and enriching beneficial compounds like theanine and theogallin. This selective removal eliminates harmful side effects (insomnia, restlessness, reduced cerebral blood flow) while preserving cognitive enhancement through alternative mechanisms provided by theanine and theogallin.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the compositional parameters of green tea extract by enriching it with specific compounds (theanine ≥6.0%, theogallin ≥3.0%) after caffeine removal. This parameter change maintains or enhances cognitive performance reliability through the synergistic effects of theanine and theogallin, compensating for the loss of caffeine's stimulating effects.
2Reliability
If green tea extract is enriched with theanine and theogallin, then cognitive performance and relaxation are improved, but the production process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The production process is segmented into distinct stages: aqueous extraction of green tea, liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate to remove caffeine and polyphenols, and absorptive enrichment using functionalized divinylbenzene. This segmentation allows systematic enrichment of theanine and theogallin while managing process complexity through modular, sequential operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses functionalized divinylbenzene as an intermediary substance in the absorptive enrichment step. This intermediary selectively binds and concentrates theanine and theogallin from the aqueous extract, enabling precise compositional control without requiring complex direct synthesis or multiple purification steps.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple extraction and purification steps are applied, then theanine and theogallin enrichment is achieved, but production time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into sequential extraction steps: aqueous extraction simultaneously dissolves theanine, theogallin, and caffeine; liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate concurrently removes both caffeine and excess polyphenols; and absorptive enrichment combines concentration and purification in one step using functionalized divinylbenzene. This merging reduces overall production time while achieving precise enrichment.
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
The resulting green tea extract significantly increases cognitive performance, promotes relaxation, and improves glucose balance by enhancing glucose uptake in adipocytes, as demonstrated in human and animal studies, supporting its use as a broad-spectrum functional food ingredient.
Implementation Method 1
absorptive enrichment of the aqueous obtained in step b), extract enriched with theanine and theogallin in an absorber filled with functionalized divinylbenzene
Implementation Method 2
liquid-liquid extraction of the aqueous green tea extract obtained in step a) using ethyl acetate with removal of caffeine and some of the polyphenols
Data Source
AI summary
A green tea extract, especially for use as a functional food item, food supplement or corresponding ingredient has an increased theanine and theogallin content and is decaffeinated.