Methods for increasing the clarity and refreshing attributes and reducing the bitterness and astringency of green tea

Abstract

Methods for modulating the bitterness and astringency of green tea, and nutritional products having a green tea with reduced bitterness and astringency, are provided. In a general embodiment, the methods comprise performing microfiltration on green tea extract to form a microfiltration retentate and a microfiltration permeate; performing at least one of ultrafiltration or reduced temperature fractionation on the microfiltration permeate; and using the ultrafiltration permeate from the ultrafiltration or the supernatant from the reduced temperature fractionation to make a green tea product. The ultrafiltration permeate or the supernatant can be further concentrated, spray or freeze dried to form a powder, used as a concentrate, or diluted to form a ready-to-drink beverage. In an embodiment, the ultrafiltration is performed on the microfiltration permeate to form an ultrafiltration retentate and an ultrafiltration permeate and then the reduced temperature fractionation is performed on the ultrafiltration permeate to form a supernatant and a sediment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.