Process for the production of decaffeinated tea

In a process for the production of an aromatic decaffeinated tea comprising the steps of

• (a) charging the tea to be treated to a pressurizable vessel
• (b) dearomatizing the tea by treatment with carbon dioxide at a pressure of from about 60 to about 150 bar at a temperature of from about 20.degree. to about 70.degree. C.;
• (c) separating the carbon dioxide from the tea, reducing the pressure of the carbon dioxide and separating therefrom an aroma containing fraction;
• (d) decaffeinating the tea which has been dearomatized in accordance with step (b) by treating said dearomatized tea with carbon dioxide at a pressure of from about 150 to about 500 bar at a temperature of from about 10.degree. to about 100.degree. C. in the presence of moisture;
• (e) separating said moist, caffeine containing carbon dioxide from the tea and releasing the carbon dioxide from said caffeine containing extract;
• (f) drying the decaffeinated tea;
• and
• (g) restoring the aroma by addding to said decaffeinated and dried tea the aroma fraction isolated in step (c);
• the improvement comprising raising the water content of the tea of step (b) to about 10 to 50% by weight of said tea, whereby the aroma fraction of step (c) is obtained as a caffeine free aqueous suspension/solution and wherein step (d) is carried out in the same vessel utilized to step (b);
• after step (c), adding sufficient water to maintain the water content of the dearomatized tea at between 10 and 50% by weight of said tea;
• and
• restoring the aroma by adding said aqueous aroma fraction to the decaffeinated and dried tea at ambient pressure.