Tea Extract Production via Enzyme Extraction and Catechin Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tea extraction methods fail to produce tea extracts with high concentrations of amino acids and low levels of catechins, resulting in unsatisfactory flavor and relish in tea beverages.
Innovation Solution
The process involves removing catechins from tea leaves through high-temperature extraction or adsorption, followed by enzyme extraction to enhance amino acid content, and adding theanine to create a tea extract with a composition of at least 7.0 weight % amino acids and 8.0 weight % or less catechins, ensuring a flavor/mellow taste without bitterness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-temperature water extraction is used to extract tea components, then extraction efficiency is improved, but bitter/astringent taste increases due to excessive catechin extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction process is divided into multiple sequential stages with different temperatures. First, low-temperature extraction (40-60°C) extracts amino acids and flavor components. Then, high-temperature extraction (80-100°C) extracts catechins from the remaining leaves. The extracts are combined in specific proportions to achieve high amino acid content while controlling catechin levels, thus resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and bitter taste.
Solution Approach 2:
Before the high-temperature extraction, a low-temperature extraction is performed first to remove amino acids and flavor components from the tea leaves. This preliminary action ensures that when high-temperature extraction subsequently occurs, the extracted catechins do not dominate the flavor profile, thereby preventing excessive bitterness while maintaining extraction efficiency.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If low-temperature water extraction is used to extract flavor components, then bitter/astringent taste is reduced, but amino acid concentration is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines extracts from multiple extraction stages (low-temperature extraction and high-temperature extraction) in specific proportions. The low-temperature extract provides amino acids and flavor components with minimal catechins, while the high-temperature extract supplements additional amino acids and other components. By merging these extracts, the final product achieves high amino acid concentration while maintaining low bitter/astringent taste.
Solution Approach 2:
The extraction temperature is varied across different stages to selectively extract different components. Low-temperature extraction (40-60°C) selectively extracts amino acids and flavor components, while high-temperature extraction (80-100°C) extracts additional components including more amino acids and catechins. By controlling and changing extraction temperature parameters, the invention optimizes the composition to achieve high amino acid content with controlled catechin levels.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple extraction processes are used to enhance flavor, then production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The production process is segmented into distinct extraction stages (low-temperature extraction followed by high-temperature extraction) that can be implemented using standard extraction equipment. Each stage uses simple water extraction at different temperatures, avoiding the need for complex specialized equipment while achieving superior flavor quality through the sequential extraction process.
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 produces a tea extract that enhances the flavor and relish of tea beverages by achieving high amino acid concentrations and low catechin levels, providing a profound, mellow taste with reduced astringency.
Implementation Method 1
removing catechins from tea leaves through high-temperature extraction or adsorption
Implementation Method 2
removing catechins from tea leaves through high-temperature extraction or adsorption
Implementation Method 3
enzyme extraction to enhance amino acid content
Implementation Method 4
adding theanine to create a tea extract with a composition of at least 7.0 weight % amino acids
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A tea extract and a method of making the tea extract are provided which tea extract contains high concentration of flavor/mellow taste components with reduced amounts of bitter/astringent components. Also a bottled tea beverage is provided which beverage exhibits profound flavor with reduced astringent taste. Enzyme extraction of tea leaves after catechins are removed from the tea leaves enables a tea extract to contain high concentration of flavor/mellow taste components with reduced amounts of bitter/astringent components.