Lilac Ginkgo Brick Tea Fermentation Bitterness Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Ginkgo tea is coarse, bitter, and sour, lacking in lipid-lowering and liver-protecting effects, and there is a need for a method to enhance its palatability and nutritional content.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the preparation of Lilac Ginkgo Brick Tea by mixing and drying Lilac and Ginkgo leaves, fermenting them with Eurotium cristatum spores, blending with black tea, and processing into a brick shape to reduce bitterness and enhance bioactive compounds like saponins and flavonoids.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If Ginkgo leaves are processed into strips or flakes for Ginkgo tea, then the tea can be prepared quickly, but the taste becomes bitter and sour and the appearance is coarse

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrewing timeVSAvoidtaste quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the physical and chemical parameters of Ginkgo leaves through fermentation. The leaves undergo microbial fermentation that converts bitter compounds into more palatable substances, changing the taste profile from bitter and sour to mellow and aromatic. This parameter transformation resolves the contradiction by improving taste quality without sacrificing brewing convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite tea product by combining fermented Ginkgo leaves with other tea leaves or herbal materials. This composite approach enhances the overall taste profile, masking residual bitterness while adding complementary flavors and aromas, thus improving taste quality while maintaining the quick brewing characteristic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If Ginkgo leaves are deeply processed into ultrafine powder, then the nutritional content is enhanced, but the brewing time increases to 15 minutes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenutritional contentVSAvoidbrewing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The fermentation process fundamentally changes the chemical parameters of Ginkgo leaves, breaking down complex nutrients into more bioavailable forms that can be extracted more efficiently during brewing. This parameter transformation allows for enhanced nutritional content delivery in shorter brewing times, resolving the contradiction between nutrition and convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If Lilac and Ginkgo leaves are fermented, then the bitter taste is reduced and beneficial metabolites are produced, but the processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetaste qualityVSAvoidprocessing steps
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs self-service fermentation by utilizing naturally occurring microorganisms or commercially available fermentation agents that automatically carry out the transformation process under controlled conditions. The system essentially ferments the leaves itself without requiring complex external intervention, thus improving taste quality while minimizing processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Device complexity

If conventional Ginkgo tea is prepared without fermentation, then the processing is simple, but the lipid-lowering and liver-protecting effects are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidhealth efficacy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Fermentation fundamentally changes the chemical composition parameters of Ginkgo leaves, producing new metabolites with enhanced pharmacological activities. These parameter changes include increased levels of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and other bioactive substances that provide reliable lipid-lowering and liver-protecting effects, while the fermentation process itself remains relatively simple to implement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 Lilac Ginkgo Brick Tea has improved taste and higher bioactive content, demonstrating lipid-lowering and liver-protecting effects in animal models, reducing serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels and protecting against liver damage.

Implementation Method 1

fermenting the Lilac Ginkgo Tea to obtain a Fermented Lilac Ginkgo Tea

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFermentation: Fermentation

Data Source

PatentUS11376299B2Lilac ginkgo brick tea and method of preparing the same
Publication Date: 2022.07.05 XIAN KANGYUANSHENG BIOMEDICAL TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A method of preparing a Lilac Ginkgo Brick Tea includes the following steps: (1) mixing and drying fresh Lilac leaves and Ginkgo leaves to obtain a Lilac Ginkgo Tea; (2) fermenting the Lilac Ginkgo Tea to obtain a Fermented Lilac Ginkgo Tea; (3) mixing the Fermented Lilac Ginkgo Tea with a black tea to obtain a Fermented Lilac Ginkgo Tea Mixture; and (4) processing the Fermented Lilac Ginkgo Tea Mixture to obtain the Lilac Ginkgo Brick Tea.