JP2002306072A - Method and apparatus for manufacturing mixed tea - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To develop a new method and apparatus for manufacturing a mixed tea capable of rationally performing the manufacturing of the mixed tea on a stage in a tea manufacturing plant. SOLUTION: A coarse tea A4 is manufactured by deactivating an oxidase contained in raw tea leaves A1 by heating the raw tea leaves A1, and successively subjecting the tea leaves in this state to a rubbing and drying processing. The method for producing a mixed tea is characterized in that starting processing stage L1 can be performed in several different manners, and the latter processing stages L2 following the starting processing stage L1 is performed in one common manner, so that the leaves each differently processed in the starting processing stage L1 are treated for rubbing and drying in a blended state. Thus, the mixed tea can be manufactured in a large scale in a tea manufacturing plant. Further, since tea leaves are mixed in a state where they contain moisture, the mixed tea leaves having flavor and daintiness can be obtained which are different from those obtained in the case where tea leaves of different states are mixed in the coarse tea stage.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for producing tea, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for mixing and processing different kinds of tea leaves.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, in order to respond to diversification of consumers' tastes, tea leaves having various properties are blended at a rough tea stage to provide a unique mixed tea. Such crude tea blending is carried out after each individual tea leaf is finished into a crude tea by a dedicated tea-making apparatus. Was done at the point of supply to the retail stage. And, in order to obtain a mixed tea in which sencha and kama-sencha are blended, for example, in accordance with the above-described method, as a production device, a production device for sencha and a production device for kama-sencha are of course separated However, in actuality, most tea factories are equipped with only one of the dedicated equipment and produce only a single type of crude tea, due to the relationship between the production area and the consumption area. However, when measures are required to be able to produce the mixed tea at the stage of a tea factory, it is necessary to provide both sencha and kama-sencha production equipment,
Naturally, the burden of each facility maintenance cost must be increased.

[0003]

[Technical Problems Attempted to Be Developed] The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and a novel mixed tea which can be manufactured more rationally at a tea manufacturing factory. The technical task was to develop a manufacturing method and an apparatus.

[0004]

According to the method for producing a mixed tea according to the first aspect of the present invention, the oxidative enzyme contained in the raw tea leaves is inactivated by heating the raw tea leaves, and then the tea leaves in this state are successively inactivated. In the method of producing dry tea by rubbing and drying, while allowing to select a plurality of initial processing steps including a step for inactivating the oxidase,
The second processing step subsequent to the first processing step is made common, and the tea leaves subjected to different treatments in each of the first processing steps are rubbed and dried in a blended state. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while providing several types of crude tea production facilities, each facility maintenance cost can be suppressed low. In addition, the mixed tea can be mass-produced in a tea factory, and the mixing process at the wholesale and retail stages can be eliminated, so that the manufacturing cost of the mixed tea can be reduced. Furthermore, since tea leaves having different properties are mixed in a state containing water, it is possible to obtain a mixed tea having a different fragrance and taste from the case of mixing tea leaves of individual properties at the stage of crude tea. it can. Furthermore, if only one of the initial processing steps is used, tea processing can be performed without any difference from the conventional method.

[0005] The method for producing mixed tea according to claim 2 is characterized in that:
In addition to the above requirements, at least one of the plurality of initial processing steps includes a steaming step for producing sencha, and at least one other initial processing step includes a blue killing method for producing pot sencha. It is characterized by including a process. According to the present invention, the shape, light blue, taste, and the like can be extracted in the steaming step, and the aroma can be extracted in the blue killing step, so that a mixed tea with excellent aroma and taste can be obtained.

[0006] The method for producing mixed tea according to claim 3 is characterized in that:
In addition to the requirements of claim 1, each of the plurality of initial processing steps comprises a steaming step for producing sencha, and the steaming degree of tea leaves in each steaming step is different. It consists of. According to the present invention, since the processed tea leaves having different steaming degrees are blended and rubbed and dried, it is possible to produce sencha having an unprecedented shape, light blue color, aroma, and taste.

Further, in the method for producing mixed tea according to claim 4, in addition to the above requirements, the post-processing step is a step after the rough kneading step. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the initial cost and the running cost of equipment can be suppressed to the minimum by making the apparatus provided in various crude tea manufactures common.

[0008] The apparatus for producing mixed tea according to claim 5 is characterized in that:
In a tea making apparatus comprising a step of inactivating oxidase contained in raw tea leaves by heating the raw tea leaves and a step of subsequently rubbing and drying the tea leaves in this state, the oxidase is inactivated. In addition to providing a plurality of types of initial processing steps including a step for causing the initial processing step to be common, a subsequent processing step following the initial processing step is shared,
It is characterized in that the tea leaves subjected to different treatments in each initial processing step can be rubbed and dried in a blended state. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while providing several types of crude tea production facilities, each facility maintenance cost can be suppressed low. In addition, the mixed tea can be mass-produced in a tea factory, and the mixing process at the wholesale and retail stages can be eliminated, so that the manufacturing cost of the mixed tea can be reduced. Furthermore, since tea leaves having different properties are mixed in a state containing water, it is possible to obtain a mixed tea having a different fragrance and taste from the case of mixing tea leaves of individual properties at the stage of crude tea. it can. Furthermore, if only one of the initial processing steps is used, tea processing can be performed without any difference from the conventional method.

[0009] The apparatus for producing mixed tea according to claim 6 is:
In addition to the requirement of claim 5, at least one of the plurality of types of initial processing steps includes a steamer, and at least one other initial processing step includes a cutting machine. It is characterized by having.
According to the present invention, the shape, light blue, taste, and the like can be extracted in the steaming step, and the aroma can be extracted in the blue killing step, so that a mixed tea with excellent aroma and taste can be obtained.

[0010] Furthermore, the mixed tea manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7 is characterized in that, in addition to the requirements described in claim 5, each of the plurality of types of initial processing steps includes a steamer. . According to the present invention, since the processed tea leaves having different steaming degrees are blended and rubbed and dried, it is possible to produce sencha having an unprecedented shape, light blue color, aroma, and taste.

The apparatus for producing mixed tea according to claim 8 is characterized in that, in addition to the requirements as set forth in claim 5, 6, or 7, the post-processing step comprises a tea-making machine after the coarse kneading machine. It consists of ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the initial cost and the running cost of equipment can be suppressed to the minimum by making the apparatus provided in various crude tea manufactures common. The above object is achieved by using the configuration of the invention described in each of the claims.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the following, the present invention will be described first with regard to the structure of a mixed tea producing apparatus D, followed by a description of a method of producing mixed tea along with the operating state of this apparatus. 1 is a mixed tea manufacturing apparatus, which is provided with a plurality of types of initial processing steps L1 and has a common post-processing step L2 following the initial processing step L1. Is done. In the present embodiment, as an example, a configuration for obtaining a mixed tea in which sencha and kama-sencha are blended is adopted.
Is a steaming process S1 arranged in series to produce sencha.
A first processing step L11 having a leaf-casting step S2 and a first processing step L12 having a blue-killing step S3 for producing pot roasted green tea are arranged in parallel.

The steaming step S1 includes the steamer 1, and a well-known one conventionally used in a green tea manufacturing plant is applied. The steamer 1 heats the raw tea leaves A1 with steam to produce the raw tea leaves A1.
This is a device for inactivating the oxidizing enzyme contained in 1 and an appropriate device such as a net stirring type or a band feeding type is applied.

On the other hand, the leaf-driing step S2 includes the leaf-driing machine 2, and a known one conventionally used in a green tea manufacturing plant is applied. This leaf blower 2 is a dryer with a large air flow, and applies hot air to steamed leaves to which steam dew is likely to adhere, such as steamed leaves of young shoots, deeply steamed leaves, and steamed leaves of coated original leaves. This is a device for improving the flavor, and an appropriate device such as a batch type or a continuous type is applied.

In the blue killing step S3, a roasting machine 3 is provided, and a well-known one conventionally used in a pot roasting tea manufacturing plant is applied. This roasting machine 3 is a device for inactivating oxidases contained in raw tea leaves A1 by roasting and heating the raw tea leaves A1 in a heated kettle. Is applied. The initial processing step L1 may include equipment provided in a later-described processing step L2 described later.

Next, a subsequent processing step L2 following the initial processing step L1 configured as described above will be described. In the present embodiment, the post-processing step L2 is, for example, the step after the rough kneading step in the green tea processing plant in the present embodiment.
2 and the subsequent stage of the blue killing step S3, which are arranged so as to be common to each other, and which are conventionally used in a sencha manufacturing plant, such as a known coarse kneader 5, kneading machine 6, medium kneading machine 7, fine kneading machine 8, and drying machine 9. It is composed with.

Hereinafter, the members constituting the post-processing step L2 will be briefly described. First, the coarse kneading machine 5 is a device for evaporating water while exposing the tea leaves to the heated air while stirring and pressurizing the tea leaves with a blade and a kneading hand provided on a rotating main shaft. Appropriate ones such as expressions are applied.

The kneading machine 6 is a device for mixing and mixing tea leaves while kneading them together to compensate for the lack of kneading in coarse kneading and to eliminate moisture unevenness in each part of the tea leaves. The container comprises a rotating container, a lid capable of pressing the container, a rubbing machine for receiving the pressed tea leaves, and the like.

Further, the middle rubbing machine 7 puts the tea leaves in a rotating drum, stirs the mixture, and rubs the tea leaves with a rubbing hand provided on a main shaft while exposing the tea leaves to a hot air to remove the water on average, thereby forming a curved shape. It is a device for making it easy to shape.

Further, the fine rubbing machine 8 is a device used for adjusting the shape of the tea leaves to improve the tightness and to give a luster. It is configured to include a massager that moves and moves back and forth, a tea leaf circulation device, and the like.

Further, the dryer 9 is a device for exposing the freshly dried tea leaves sent from the fine rubbing machine 8 to heated air to remove moisture and to enhance the aroma by the heat during the drying. Appropriate things such as a shelf type, a band type, and a rotary type are applied. The post-processing step L2 may include a middle kneader, a re-dryer, or the like.

The mixed tea production apparatus D of the present invention is configured as described above as an example. Hereinafter, the method of producing the mixed tea of the present invention using this apparatus will be described in detail with reference to sencha and kama-sencha. The case where a blended mixed tea is obtained will be described as an example (see FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the raw tea leaves A1 of the same varieties are first processed at L11 and L1 respectively.
By supplying to the steaming step S1 and the blue killing step S2 in step 2, two different kinds of processing are performed. Of course, different kinds of processing may be performed using fresh tea leaves of different varieties.

[Processing by Steaming Step and Leafing Step] First, in the steaming step S1 and the leafing step S2 in the initial processing step L11, steaming and leafing for sencha processing are performed. By steam heating, the oxidizing enzyme contained in the raw tea leaf A1 is inactivated, and then the steamed leaves are exposed to hot air by the leaf punch 2 to improve the color and the flavor. Note that the tea leaves that have been processed in the leaf hitting step S2 and discharged from the leaf hitting machine 2 are referred to as processed tea leaves A2.

[Processing in Blue Killing Step] On the other hand, in the blue killing step S3 in the initial processing step L12, roasted leaves for pot roasting tea processing are performed.
Raw tea leaves A1 by roasting 1 in a heated kettle and heating
To inactivate the oxidase contained in. Blue killing process S
3, the tea leaves discharged from the leafing machine 2 are referred to as processed tea leaves A3.

[Mixing of Processed Tea Leaves and Processing by Post-Processing Step] The processed tea leaf A2 processed by the leaf-stripping step S2 and the processed tea leaf A3 processed by the blue-killing step S3 in the post-processing step L2. The processed tea leaves A2 and the processed tea leaves A3 are subjected to the kneading and drying process in a blended state. Adjustment of the mixing ratio of the processed tea leaves A2 and the processed tea leaves A3 can be performed by adjusting the mixing ratio of the leaf feeder 1 provided with the fresh leaf flowmeter disposed in front of the steamer 1 or the leafing machine 3.
0 and 30. In addition, at the stage before being charged into the coarse kneading machine 5, the processed tea leaves A2 and the processed tea leaves A3 may be uniformly blended using an appropriate mixing device, and may be charged into the rough kneading machine 5 in this state.

Subsequently, processing is performed by the kneading machine 6, the middle kneading machine 7, the fine kneading machine 8 and the drying machine 9, and the rough tea A4
Is obtained. This crude tea A4 is obtained by blending tea leaves subjected to different treatments in the initial processing step L1 in a state containing water, and rubbing and drying in this state. It has a different aroma and richness from those obtained by mixing sencha and kama-rosen tea.

[0027]

[Other Embodiments] The present invention is based on the above-described embodiment, but employs the following embodiments based on the technical idea of the present invention. Can also. That is, in the above-described basic embodiment, the initial processing step L1 in the mixed tea manufacturing apparatus D is
Initial processing step L11 including a steaming step S1, and blue killing step S
Although the first processing step L12 including the first processing step L12 is provided, the configuration of the first processing step L1 can be changed. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the initial processing step L11 and the initial processing step L12 are provided with steaming steps S11 and S12, respectively.
1, S22 is added. In addition, about the latter-stage processing process L2, it was provided with the coarse kneading machine 5, the kneading machine 6, the middle kneading machine 7, the fine kneading machine 8, and the drier 9 similarly to the basic embodiment.

Then, using the mixed tea manufacturing apparatus D1 thus constructed, fresh tea leaves A1 of the same varieties are supplied to the steaming step S11 and the steaming step S12 in the initial processing steps L11 and L12, respectively. Different types of processing are performed. That is, the steaming condition in the steaming step S11 and the steaming condition in the steaming step S12 are made different. For example, the steaming step S11 is used to perform the young steaming to obtain a good shape and light blue color.
Let's do deep steaming to bring out the taste. The steaming step S11 and the steaming step S12 are respectively provided with the leafing step S21 and the leafing step S22 in order to perform leafing suitable for tea leaves subjected to different steaming heat treatments. The tea leaves discharged from the leaf forming step S21 are referred to as processed tea leaves A6, and the tea leaves discharged from the leaf forming step S22 are referred to as processed tea leaves A7.

The processed tea leaves A6 and the processed tea leaves A
7 is fed into the coarse kneading machine 5 which is the first processing device in the subsequent processing step L2, and thereafter, the processed tea leaves A6 and the processed tea leaves A7 are subjected to kneading and drying in a blended state. .

Subsequently, the kneading machine 6, the middle kneading machine 7, the fine kneading machine 8, and the drying machine 9 perform the processing, and the rough tea A8
Is obtained. This crude tea A8 is a tea leaf that has been subjected to different treatments in the initial processing step L1, that is, a tea leaf that is subjected to young steaming to bring out good shape and light blue, and a tea leaf that is subjected to deep steaming to bring out its taste. Is blended and rubbed and dried in this state, so that it has an unprecedented shape, light blue color, fragrance and taste. In the case where the configuration of the mixed tea manufacturing apparatus D1 is adopted, raw tea leaves of different varieties are supplied to the initial processing step L11 and the initial processing step L12, respectively, so as to obtain an unprecedented shape, light blue color, and aroma. , And can produce crude tea having a nourishment.

Further, as a modified example of the mixed tea production apparatus D, the initial processing step L1 may be configured to be able to select two or more types. The tea-making equipment included in the initial processing step L1 is not limited to the steamer 1, the leaf driving machine 2, and the cutting machine 3, but is included in the post-processing step L2 in the above-described two embodiments. May be included in the initial processing step L1.

[0032]

According to the present invention, the production of mixed tea can be carried out more rationally at the stage of a tea factory, and furthermore, an unprecedented mixed tea can be produced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for producing mixed tea according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for producing mixed tea described in another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 D Mixed tea manufacturing apparatus D1 Mixed tea manufacturing apparatus L1 Initial processing step L11 Initial processing step L12 Initial processing step S1 Steaming step S11 Steaming step S12 Steaming step S2 Leafing step S21 Leafing step S22 Leafing step S3 Blueing step L2 Processing process 1 Steaming machine 2 Leaf punching machine 3 Rusting machine 5 Coarse rubbing machine 6 Kneading and twisting machine 7 Medium rubbing machine 8 Fine rubbing machine 9 Drying machine 10 Leaf feeding machine 30 Leaf feeding machine A1 Raw tea leaves A2 Processed tea leaves A3 Processed tea leaves A4 Tea leaves A7 Processed tea leaves A8 Crude tea

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A method for producing crude tea by heating a raw tea leaf to inactivate an oxidase contained in the raw tea leaf and then rubbing and drying the tea leaf in this state.
A plurality of initial processing steps including a step for inactivating the oxidase can be selected, and a subsequent processing step following the initial processing step is made common,
A method for producing mixed tea, characterized in that tea leaves subjected to different treatments in respective initial processing steps are rubbed and dried in a blended state. 2. At least one of the plurality of initial processing steps includes a steaming step for producing sencha, and at least another one of the initial processing steps includes a blue killing method for producing pot roasted green tea. The method for producing a mixed tea according to claim 1, comprising a step. 3. The plurality of initial processing steps each include a steaming step for producing green tea.
2. The method for producing mixed tea according to claim 1, wherein the steaming degree of the tea leaves in each steaming step is made different. 4. The method for producing a mixed tea according to claim 1, wherein the post-processing step is a step after the rough kneading step. 5. A tea-making apparatus comprising: a step of inactivating an oxidizing enzyme contained in raw tea leaves by heating the raw tea leaves; and a step of rubbing and drying the tea leaves in this state. A plurality of initial processing steps including a step for inactivating an enzyme can be selected, and a subsequent processing step following the initial processing step can be made common, so that each of the initial processing steps has a different processing. An apparatus for producing mixed tea, characterized in that the applied tea leaves can be rubbed and dried in a blended state. 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of types of initial processing steps includes a steamer, and at least one of the other types of initial processing steps includes a cutting machine. An apparatus for producing a mixed tea according to claim 5. 7. The mixed tea manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of types of initial processing steps includes a steamer. 8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the post-processing step comprises a tea-making machine after the rough rubbing machine.
An apparatus for producing the mixed tea according to the above.