Process for making a stable green tea extract and product

A process for producing a tea product comprising the steps of:

• (a) contacting green tea materials with an aqueous acid solution comprising erythorbic acid or ascorbic acid and citric acid and mixtures thereof, at a ratio of tea materials to acid solution, of from about 1:7 to about 1:20, at a temperature of from about 40.degree. C. to about 50.degree. C. for a period of time sufficient to produce an aqueous extract containing from about 0.75% to about 2.5% by weight, soluble solids;
• the ratio of erythorbic or ascorbic acid to tea material being from about 1:6 to about 1:10, and the ratio of citric acid to tea material being from about 1:10 to about 1:34;
• (b) separating the aqueous extract of step (a) from solid tea leaves residue;
• (c) contacting the solid tea material residue of step (b) with acidified water comprising erythorbic or ascorbic acid, at a ratio of tea material to aqueous solution, of from about 1:7 to about 1:30, at a temperature of from about 40.degree. C. to about 48.degree. C. for a period of time sufficient to produce an aqueous extract containing from about 0.50% about 2.0% by weight, soluble solids;
• (d) separating the aqueous extract of step (c) from the solid tea residue;
• (e) mixing the extracts from step (b) and (d) at a temperature of from about 40.degree. C. to about 50.degree. C., with a 25% by weight gelatin solution, wherein the ratio of said gelatin to soluble solids is from about 1:2 to about 1:7;
• (f) cooling the aqueous tea extract from step (e) to a temperature of from about 10.degree. C. to about 20.degree. C.;
• (g) separating any solid precipitate from the cooled extract of step (f) under an inert atmosphere;