Ultra-Fine Tea Particle Beverage Precursor for Rapid Catechin Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tea-based beverages are inconvenient to prepare and often require high consumption rates to achieve health benefits from catechins, as they involve slow infusion and dissolution of tea leaves or powders, making it difficult for individuals to meet daily intake requirements.
Innovation Solution
A beverage precursor comprising green tea leaf and/or stem, packaged in a specific amount and composition, designed to produce a tea-based beverage with a catechin content of 0.05-2% by weight when contacted with water at 90°C for 2 minutes, optimized for efficient catechin delivery and convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional tea leaves or powders are used as beverage precursors, then the beverage can be prepared, but the infusion and dissolution process is slow, requiring high consumption rates to achieve health benefits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the tea material by using ultra-fine particles (average diameter 1-10 μm) and specific surface area (50-500 m²/g), which dramatically increases the dissolution rate and catechin delivery efficiency, reducing preparation time while maintaining health benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The tea material is segmented into ultra-fine particles through advanced grinding and classification processes, creating uniformly sized micro-particles that dissolve rapidly in water, thereby improving both preparation speed and catechin extraction efficiency
2Ease of operation
If conventional beverage precursors are used, then preparation is possible, but the process is inconvenient for everyday use due to slow infusion and dissolution rates
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming the tea material into ultra-fine particles with controlled size distribution and high surface area, the patent makes the beverage precursor extremely easy to prepare - simply adding to water produces rapid dissolution, greatly improving ease of operation for everyday use
3Quantity of substance
If high consumption rates of conventional tea beverages are maintained, then health benefits from catechins can be achieved, but this is difficult to sustain long term
Solution Approach 1:
The ultra-fine particle formulation increases catechin delivery efficiency per serving, allowing consumers to achieve the same daily catechin intake with fewer beverages, making long-term sustainable consumption much more achievable
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 beverage precursor allows consumers to meet daily catechin intake requirements with reduced preparation time and frequency, while maintaining a palatable taste and appearance, by providing a convenient and efficient method for catechin delivery.
Implementation Method 1
contact of the beverage precursor with 250 ml water for 2 minutes at 90°C produces a beverage comprising catechins
Implementation Method 2
tea material comprises green tea leaf and/or stem... contact of the beverage precursor with water produces a beverage comprising catechins
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a beverage precursor comprising tea material and food-grade additive, wherein the beverage precursor is present in an amount wherein contact of the beverage precursor with 250 ml water for 2 minutes at 90°C produces a beverage comprising catechins in an amount of between 0.05% and 2% by weight of the beverage.