Green Tea Manufacturing via Leaf-Stem Separation and Drying

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional green tea manufacturing processes reduce catechin content and result in unwanted flavors and aromas due to enzyme deactivation methods like steaming or pan firing, which can affect the quality and flavor of the final product.

Innovation Solution

Separating fresh tea leaves from stems before enzyme deactivation and processing them to retain active endogenous enzymes, allowing for mild fermentation-like reactions that preserve catechins and enhance flavor without excessive browning, and then drying to inactivate enzymes simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate deactivation steps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If thermal treatment (steaming or pan firing) is used to deactivate endogenous enzymes, then fermentation is prevented, but catechin content is reduced and unwanted flavors and aromas are generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefermentation preventionVSAvoidcatechin content

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by separating leaf material from stem material before the thermal enzyme deactivation step. This preliminary separation allows the subsequent drying process to selectively deactivate enzymes in the leaf material while preserving catechins, preventing the formation of unwanted flavors and aromas that occur with conventional thermal treatment of whole tea material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If thermal treatment (steaming or pan firing) is used to deactivate endogenous enzymes, then fermentation is prevented, but unwanted flavors and aromas are generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefermentation preventionVSAvoidunwanted flavors and aromas

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by separating leaf material from stem material before the thermal enzyme deactivation step. This preliminary separation allows the subsequent drying process to selectively deactivate enzymes in the leaf material while preserving catechins, preventing the formation of unwanted flavors and aromas that occur with conventional thermal treatment of whole tea material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If conventional enzyme deactivation methods are used, then fermentation is controlled, but process complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefermentation controlVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the enzyme deactivation function with the drying step. By combining these two operations into a single drying process, the patent eliminates the need for a separate thermal treatment step, thereby simplifying the overall process while maintaining effective fermentation control through selective enzyme deactivation in the leaf material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If conventional enzyme deactivation methods are used, then fermentation is controlled, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefermentation controlVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the enzyme deactivation function with the drying step. By combining these two operations into a single drying process, the patent eliminates the need for a separate thermal treatment step, thereby simplifying the overall process while maintaining effective fermentation control through selective enzyme deactivation in the leaf material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 process yields green tea products with exceptional green color and floral aroma, maintaining high catechin content while reducing bitterness and unwanted flavors, allowing for simpler and lower-energy production.

Implementation Method 1

drying the tea material rich in leaf to yield the green leaf tea product, wherein the enzyme deactivation occurs simultaneously with the drying

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal energy for enzyme inactivation: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2713761B1Process for manufacturing green tea

Publication Date: 2016.01.20 UNILEVER PLC

AI summary

Disclosed is a process for manufacturing a green leaf tea product, the process comprising the steps of: a)providing fresh tea material comprising catechins and active endogenous enzymes, wherein the fresh tea material comprises leaf material and stem material; b) optionally withering the fresh tea material; c) separating the leaf material from the stem material whilst the fresh tea material comprises active endogenous enzymes, to provide tea material rich in leaf; d) inactivating the endogenous enzymes in the tea material rich in leaf to substantially prevent fermentation of the tea material rich in leaf; and e) drying the tea material rich in leaf to yield the green leaf tea product.