# US 2019/0166868 A1 · A process for manufacturing a leaf tea product

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- Number: US 2019/0166868 A1
- Document ID: US20190166868A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/324,494
- Filed: 2017-08-02
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-15
- Applicants: Conopco, Inc., d/b/a Unilever
- Inventors: Luke Richard NUNN; David George SHARP
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190166868A1

## CPC

- A23F 3/06: Treating tea before extraction (reducing or removing alkaloid content A23F3/36); Preparations produced thereby (tea extract preparations A23F3/16)
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- A23V 2300/24: Heat, thermal treatment
- A23F: COFFEE; TEA; THEIR SUBSTITUTES; MANUFACTURE, PREPARATION, OR INFUSION THEREOF
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a black leaf tea product, the process comprising: providing black leaf tea material having a moisture content of less than 20 wt. %; and then subjecting this black leaf tea starting material to a heat treatment step by contacting it with a heated surface at a temperature of 60° C. to 100° C. in the presence of steam for a duration of at least 2 minutes. The present invention also relates to a black leaf tea product obtainable by this process

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for manufacturing a black leaf tea product, the process comprising:
subjecting a black leaf tea material, having a moisture content of less than 20 wt. %, to a heat treatment step by contacting it with a heated surface at a temperature of 60° C. to 100° C. in the presence of steam for a duration of at least 2 minutes to provide a black leaf tea product.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the duration of the heat treatment step is from 3 to 25 minutes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the steam is provided at a flow rate of at least 1 kg per hour.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the steam is provided at a flow rate of less than 25 kg per hour.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein heated surface is at a temperature of 65° C. to 95° C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the black leaf starting material has a moisture content of less than 10 wt. %.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the black leaf tea material is a tea blend.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the black leaf tea product has a moisture content of less than 20 wt. %.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein the black leaf tea product has a moisture content of less than 10 wt. %.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the heat treatment step is carried out in a confined atmosphere.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein:
the black leaf tea material has an infusion L* value of L*Initial,
the black leaf tea product has an infusion L* value of L*final, and
the difference in infusion L* value is ΔL*, and ΔL*=(L*initial)−(L*final),
wherein infusion the infusion L* value is determined for an infusion liquor obtained by contacting 2 g of the black leaf tea material (for L*initial) or the black leaf tea product (for L*final) with 200 ml freshly boiled water for 2 minutes;
the black leaf tea material has a Normalised Infusion Colour of NICinitial,
the black leaf tea product has a Normalised Infusion Colour of NICfinal, and
the difference in Normalised Infusion Colour is ΔNIC, and ΔNIC=(NICfinal)−(NICinitial),
wherein Normalised Infusion Colour is expressed in terms of a* values per mg/ml of infusion solids as determined for an infusion liquor obtained by contacting 2 g of the black leaf tea material (for NICinitial) or the black leaf tea product (for or NICfinal) with 200 ml freshly boiled water for 2 minutes; and wherein
ΔNIC is −0.1 to −2.0 and ΔL* is −1.0 to −8.0.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein:
the black leaf tea material has an infusion L* value of L*initial,
the black leaf tea product has an infusion L* value of L*final, and
the difference in infusion L* value is ΔL*, and ΔL*=(L*initial)−(L*final),
wherein infusion the infusion L* value is determined for an infusion liquor obtained by contacting 2 g of the black leaf tea material (for L*initial) or the black leaf tea product (for L*final) with 200 ml freshly boiled water for 2 minutes;
the black leaf tea material has a Normalised Infusion Colour of NICinitial,
the black leaf tea product has a Normalised Infusion Colour of NICfinal, and
the difference in Normalised Infusion Colour is ΔNIC, and ΔNIC=(NICfinal)−(NICfinal),
wherein Normalised Infusion Colour is expressed in terms of a* values per mg/ml of infusion solids as determined for an infusion liquor obtained by contacting 2 g of the black leaf tea material (for NICinitial) or the black leaf tea product (for or NICfinal) with 200 ml freshly boiled water for 2 minutes; and wherein
ΔNIC is −0.1 to −2.0 and ΔL* is 1.5 to 11.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the black leaf tea product is blended with one or more additional black leaf teas.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises packaging the black leaf tea product.

### Claim 15

(canceled)