Enzymatic solubilization of tea cream
AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company
InventorYoshinori Takino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cold water-soluble tea concentrate or tea powder that when reconstituted gives a tea of improved astringency and color without turbidity is produced from tea extracts, and preferably black tea extracts, by treating the tea extract or tea cream with appropriate enzymes.
Claims19
A process of preparing a tea extract which comprises:
- a. preparing a hot water extract of black tea,
- b. adjusting the temperature of the extract to within the range of about 25.degree. to 55.degree.C,
- c. adding tannase to the extract and permitting the tannase to remain in contact with the extract while maintaining said temperature range for a time sufficient to solubilize a substantial portion of the tea cream therein, and
- d. de-creaming the extract.
A process of preparing a tea extract which comprises:
- a. preparing a hot water extract of black tea,
- b. adding tannase to the extract and permitting the tannase to remain in contact with the extract while maintaining said extract at a temperature within the range of about 25.degree. to 55.degree.C for a time sufficient to solubilize a substantial portion of the tea cream therein.
Process for treating a tea extract containing, as a cold-water insoluble portion, tea cream to render more of the tea extract soluble in cold water comprising treating the tea cream by contacting the tea cream with a tannase enzyme preparation at a temperature sufficient to convert at least a portion of the tea cream to a cold-water soluble form and continuing the treatment for a time sufficient to reduce the cold-water insoluble portion to a desired level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.