JP2011130740A - Raw tea leaf-extracted essence having balanced flavor and easy to drink, and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a raw tea leaf-extracted essence exhibiting strong tea leaf feeling, and refreshing feeling, having reduced astringency and peculiar flavor, and also having excellent flavor having balanced flavor and easy to drink as a whole, and to provide a food and drink such as tea drink containing the raw tea leaf-extracted essence. <P>SOLUTION: The method for producing the raw tea leaf-extracted essence having the flavor balance and the easily drinkable property includes (A) a step for rapidly freezing the raw teas leaves, (B) a step for extracting the raw tea leaf-extracted essence from the frozen unpulverized raw tea leaves, and optionally, (C) a step for adding en enzyme to the raw tea leaf-extracted essence. As a result, the raw tea leaf-extracted essence having freshness and sweet perfume besides the above-mensioned feelings is provided. The method for producing the raw tea leaf-extracted essence provides the raw tea leaf-extracted essence having the whole flavor balance and the easily drinkable property by a practicable method without passing complicated process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing a flavorful fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking using a quick freezing treatment of fresh tea leaves, and a food and drink containing the fresh tea leaf extract.

  Tea is a beverage widely spread all over the world. Among them, green tea has been the most popular beverage in Japan since ancient times. Currently, various methods are used for tea production, but the normal tea making process of green tea consists of a blue-killing process, rough koji process, dedication process, middle mushroom process, refinement process, drying process, A commonly used method is to process the raw tea that has been made into tea, finishing it through sieving, cutting, cutting, assembling, and firing, and then distributing it as finished tea. Currently, tea extract is actively used as a raw material for tea beverages such as green tea.

  In the preparation of tea beverages, as described above, after picking fresh tea leaves, the usual method is to process the tea leaves by heat treatment and drying, but a method of processing by making use of the flavor of fresh tea leaves is also attempted. ing. In such a case, a method of trying to improve the flavor by freezing fresh tea leaves is also disclosed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-160416 discloses that a fresh leaf of tea (Scientific name: Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze), which is an evergreen tree of the camellia family, is picked and frozen, and the frozen tea leaf is subjected to steam distillation. A method for providing a green tea beverage in a sealed container to which a fresh and heat-resistant fragrance / flavor is imparted by blending the resulting distillate into a green tea beverage is disclosed.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-110990 discloses a step of freezing fresh tea leaves, a step of mixing frozen fresh tea leaves with water, crushing and squeezing, and filtering the obtained crushed juice and extracting the extract By producing the green tea beverage raw material liquid by the process of obtaining the obtained extract and the process of heating the obtained extract, the oxidation is suppressed by inhibiting the enzyme activity while preventing the loss of aroma components by the heat treatment. A method for producing a green tea beverage raw material liquid that is suppressed and excellent in aroma is disclosed.

  Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-346702, after a fresh leaf is washed and wetted with water, it is put in a vacuum chamber and subjected to a pretreatment for freezing the fresh leaf with the heat of vaporization of water by evacuation. In addition, it is disclosed that, by drying by vacuum freeze-drying, various raw leaf processed products that can withstand long-term storage can be produced at low cost without inhibiting oxidation and changing the original flavor and active ingredients of the raw leaf.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-113090 mixes a crushed raw tea leaf before wilt treatment with a tea leaf tissue-disrupting enzyme solution, fermentation (tannin oxidation reaction), tea leaf tissue-disrupting enzyme treatment, and extraction. A method for producing a fermented tea leaf extract characterized by efficiently obtaining a fermented tea leaf extract having little bitter and astringent taste and having a rich and umami taste by performing the treatment in a single step is disclosed. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-135534 discloses that the freshness of fresh leaves is reduced as much as possible by immersing fresh leaves of tea leaves in weak alkaline hot water, cutting them into a predetermined size, pasting them, and further freezing them in a vacuum. A method for producing an aqueous green tea paste characterized in that it can improve the dispersibility in water and obtain a green tea paste with a high balance of vivid green, fresh fragrance and moderate astringency of fresh leaves. Has been.

  As described above, various methods for producing tea beverages using the flavor of fresh tea leaves are disclosed, but even with such a method, the tea leaves feel strong, refreshing and fresh, and astringent From the standpoint of providing an excellent flavored fresh tea leaf extract with reduced overall taste and taste, and an overall flavor balance and ease of drinking, no satisfactory method has been disclosed so far.

JP 11-346702 A JP 2004-1113090 A JP 2005-160416 A JP 2007-110990 A JP 2007-135534 A

  The object of the present invention is to produce an excellent flavor with a strong tea leaf feeling, freshness, freshness, sweet aroma, reduced astringency and miscellaneous taste, and overall flavor / balance and ease of drinking. To provide a tea leaf extract, a food and drink such as a tea beverage containing the fresh tea leaf extract, and a method for practically producing the fresh tea leaf extract without going through complicated steps Made up of.

  The present inventor has intensively studied to solve the above problems, and in the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract, a step of rapidly freezing fresh tea leaves, and extraction of fresh tea leaf extract from frozen unground green tea leaves It has been found that a raw tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking can be produced by adopting the treatment according to the step, and the present invention has been completed. That is, the present invention includes a process of (A) a step of rapidly freezing fresh tea leaves and (B) a step of extracting a fresh tea leaf extract from frozen unground green tea leaves in a method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract. The method comprises producing a fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking.

  The method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention has a strong tea leaf feeling, refreshingness, freshness, sweet aroma, reduced astringency and miscellaneous taste, and overall flavor / balance and ease of drinking Can also produce an excellent fresh tea leaf extract. In the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, the process of (A) and (B) is further improved by adding a step of adding an enzyme to the fresh tea leaf extract (C). , Overall flavor, good balance and ease of drinking can be improved. Examples of such enzymes include pectinase and / or tannase.

  In the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, the step of extracting the fresh tea leaf extract from the frozen unground green tea leaf can be performed by column extraction. In this case, the column extraction is preferably performed at an extraction temperature of 95 to 40 ° C. By the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, a fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking can be produced, and a food and drink containing the fresh tea leaf extract can be prepared. Examples of such foods and drinks include green tea beverages.

Specifically, the present invention specifically relates to
(1) A method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract, the following steps:
(A) a process of rapidly freezing fresh tea leaves,
(B) a process of extracting a fresh tea leaf extract from frozen unground green tea leaves,
A method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking, characterized by including a treatment by
(2) A method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract, comprising the steps (A) and (B) described in (1) above, and (C) a step of adding an enzyme to the fresh tea leaf extract. A method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking as described in (1) above,
(3) The process of extracting a fresh tea leaf extract from frozen unground green tea leaves is performed by column extraction, and has the flavor balance and ease of drinking as described in (1) or (2) above Method for producing fresh tea leaf extract,
Consists of.

The present invention also provides:
(4) The method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking as described in (3) above, wherein the column extraction is performed at 95 to 40 ° C,
(5) The fresh tea leaves having a flavor balance and ease of drinking according to any one of (2) to (4) above, wherein the enzyme added to the fresh tea leaf extract is pectinase and / or tannase Manufacturing method of extract,
(6) A fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking produced by the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract according to any one of (1) to (5) above,
(7) A food or drink characterized by containing the fresh tea leaf extract described in (6) above,
(8) The food or drink according to (7) above, wherein the food or drink is a green tea drink,
Consists of.

  The present invention has a strong tea leaf feeling, freshness, freshness, sweet scent, reduced astringency and miscellaneous taste, and excellent flavor of fresh tea leaves with overall flavor, balance and ease of drinking An extract and a method for producing the same are provided. By the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, a fresh tea leaf extract having flavor, balance and ease of drinking can be provided by a practical method without going through complicated steps. Moreover, the food / beverage products excellent in flavor like a green tea drink can be provided by using the raw tea leaf extract of this invention.

  The present invention provides a method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract, wherein (A) a step of rapidly freezing fresh tea leaves and (B) a step of extracting a fresh tea leaf extract from frozen unground green tea leaves, or C) It comprises a method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking by adopting a process of adding an enzyme to the fresh tea leaf extract.

  The tea leaves used in the present invention are not particularly limited, and tea leaves belonging to Camellia sinensis can be used.

  In the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, fresh tea leaves are frozen by quick freezing. Rapid freezing as defined herein means cooling within 1 hour, preferably within 30 minutes from the start of cooling, to 0 ° C. or below at which the enzyme activity of tea leaves becomes substantially zero. A freezing apparatus, a brine freezing apparatus, a quick freezer, etc. are mentioned. In the present invention, preferably, an IQF freezing apparatus can be used. When it is slowly frozen, it is not preferable in terms of flavor, in particular, the tea leaf feeling is weak, freshness, freshness, sweet aroma is lowered, and there is a tendency for astringency and miscellaneous taste to become strong. Slow freezing as defined herein refers to storing and freezing tea leaves at room temperature in a freezer in an atmosphere of −10 to −30 ° C. without pretreatment such as deaeration and cooling. When raw tea leaves are slowly frozen, heat is generated due to their own enzyme activity, and the quality deteriorates because it takes a long time to freeze.

  In the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, a fresh tea leaf extract is extracted from frozen unground green tea leaves. In the present invention, the extraction method used for extracting the fresh tea leaf extract from the frozen unground green tea leaves is preferably column extraction. Compared with column extraction, batch extraction lacks the tea leaf feeling and tends to have astringent taste and miscellaneous taste, and column extraction is preferable in terms of overall flavor balance and ease of drinking.

  Column extraction is a method in which an extraction vessel equipped with a strainer at the extraction outlet is filled with an extraction raw material, an extraction solvent is supplied from the upper or lower portion of the extraction vessel, and the extraction raw material is extracted without convection. An extract can be obtained. Examples of the apparatus include a column extractor and a drip extractor. In the present invention, a column extractor can be preferably used. Batch extraction is a method in which an extraction raw material and an extraction solvent are put into an extraction container and agitation extraction is performed.

  In the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, the temperature during the extraction of the fresh tea leaf extract is preferably 95 to 40 ° C, more preferably 95 to 70 ° C. When it exceeds 95 ° C, there is a problem that a heating odor or a deterioration odor is generated and the flavor is deteriorated by browning, and when it is less than 40 ° C, the flavor is not preferred, and particularly the tea leaf feeling is lacking, astringency, miscellaneous taste. Tend to be stronger. In the present invention, the frozen raw tea leaves are used in the form of raw tea leaves as they are without being crushed or similar treatment. When fresh tea leaves are crushed, freshness, freshness and sweet aroma are lowered, and in particular, astringency and miscellaneous taste tend to increase.

  In the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, the fresh tea leaf extract can be treated by adding an enzyme. Examples of the enzyme used include pectinase, tannase, amylase, lipase, and mannanase, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Pectinase or tannase is preferable, and pectinase and tannase are particularly preferably used in combination. By performing such an enzyme treatment, the umami is improved, and in particular, the overall flavor and balance and the ease of drinking are improved.

  The raw tea leaf extract of the present invention can be contained in various foods and drinks to produce flavorful foods and drinks. For example, soft drinks, frozen desserts and desserts. Especially, it is preferable to make it contain in a green tea drink. In beverages, the raw tea leaf extract of the present invention can be contained in a beverage raw material and used as it is, as well as in a container-packed beverage subjected to UHT sterilization or retort sterilization.

  In the fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention and foods and drinks containing the same, astringency is reduced, but tannin and catechin are one of the causes of astringency. Tannin can be measured by methods such as iron tartrate colorimetric method and foreign thiocult method. In the present invention, catechin can be measured by the HPLC method. In the present invention, the aromatic component can be measured by the GC method after extracting and concentrating the aromatic component. Examples of the extraction and concentration operation include methods such as a head space method, a solid phase extraction method, a solid phase micro extraction (SPME) method, a solvent extraction method, and a star bar extraction (SBSE) method.

  In the evaluation items used in the sensory evaluation of the present invention, “tea leaf feeling” expresses the taste felt from fresh leaves, “freshness” represents the fresh aroma and light blueness of fresh leaves, and “blue smell” Means an unpleasant grass-like blue odor, `` Mizumizushi '' means that there is a scented scent and a refreshing aftertaste. Yes, `` Astringency '' refers to the astringency that remains on the tongue after drinking, `` Umami '' refers to the umami that you feel after drinking, and `` Misami taste '' refers to the astringent taste with a rough texture on the tongue, “Flavor / balance” refers to a sense of unity between fragrance and taste, and “ease of drinking” is an item that evaluates the sense of being able to drink well over the throat.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[Regarding the freezing method (rapid freezing, slow freezing) 1, 2]
<No. 1>: Washed fresh tea leaves were treated with an IQF freezer for 20 minutes, the temperature of the fresh tea leaves was cooled to 0 ° C, and then stored in a freezer at -20 ° C for 1 month. Next, 400 g of the frozen fresh tea leaves were packed into a column extractor, and column extraction was performed. Hot water at 90 ° C. was passed from the lower part of the column, and an extract was obtained from the upper part of the column to obtain 1200 g of extract that was three times the amount of fresh tea leaves. Next, 0.03% (w / w) of vitamin C was added to the liquid volume, and centrifugation was performed at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes. After centrifugation, filtration was performed with a filter paper (No. 2 manufactured by Advantech Toyo Co., Ltd.). The obtained extract was adjusted to pH 6.0 with sodium bicarbonate and then sterilized at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes to obtain a fresh tea leaf extract.

  <No. 2>: In Example 1, the IQF freezing apparatus was not used, and the sample was stored in a freezer at −20 ° C. after washing. The temperature of the fresh tea leaves reached 0 ° C. 36 hours after the start of freezing. It was stored for one month in a -20 ° C freezer. Thereafter, a raw tea leaf extract was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1. The obtained extract was diluted with Brix 0.2, a beverage adjusted to pH 6.0 with vitamin C and sodium bicarbonate was prepared, and sensory evaluation was performed. Sensory evaluation was carried out by the following 7 points using 7 expert panels.

  <Tea leaf feeling, freshness, blue odor, freshness, sweet aroma, astringency, umami and miscellaneous taste>: 1 point is weak, 2 points are slightly weak, 3 points are normal, 4 points are slightly strong, 5 points Was strong, evaluated. <Flavor, good balance and ease of drinking> Evaluation was made with 1 point being bad, 2 points being slightly bad, 3 points being neither, 4 points being good, and 5 points being good.

[result]
The results are shown in Table 1. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, by adopting quick freezing and combining with other processes, compared with the case where slow freezing is performed, the tea leaf feeling is particularly rich, and refreshing, freshness, and sweet aroma are evaluated. It becomes high and astringency and miscellaneous taste are suppressed. In addition, the results were excellent in terms of overall flavor and balance and ease of drinking.

[Extraction method (column extraction, batch extraction) Condition No. 1,8]
<No. 8>: Washed fresh tea leaves were treated with an IQF freezer for 20 minutes, cooled to 0 ° C., and stored in a freezer at −20 ° C. for 1 month. 200 g of this frozen fresh tea leaf was placed in 600 g of 90 ° C. hot water, which is three times the amount, and batch extraction was performed for 1 minute with occasional stirring. Next, 0.03% (w / w) of vitamin C was added to the liquid volume, and centrifugation was performed at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes. After centrifugation, filtration was performed with a filter paper (No. 2 manufactured by Advantech Toyo Co., Ltd.). The obtained extract was adjusted to pH 6.0 with sodium bicarbonate and then sterilized at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes to obtain a fresh tea leaf extract. The sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

[result]
The results are shown in Table 2. In the production method of the present invention, by adopting column extraction and combining with other steps, it is rich in tea leaf feeling, especially astringency and miscellaneous taste, compared to the case where batch extraction is performed. In addition, the results were excellent in terms of overall flavor and balance and ease of drinking. Moreover, the result of the analysis of an aroma component is shown below.

<Aroma analysis conditions>
The fresh tea leaf extract was diluted to Brix 0.2 and used as a sample. 10 μl of 10 ppb Ethyl Benzoate solution was added to 10 ml of sample as an internal standard. After adding 3 g of sodium chloride, extraction was performed using a solid phase microextraction (SPME) method, and analysis was performed by GC / MS. Extraction conditions: 60 ° C., 30 minutes; Desorption temperature: 240 ° C .; GC: Agilent 6890N; Detector: Agilent 5973; Column: TC-WAX 60 m × 0.25 μm × I. D. 0.25 mm; Temperature: 70 ° C. (1 minute) → 240 ° C. Temperature rise 4 ° C./min

  The results are shown in Table 3. From the analysis results of the following fragrance components, trans-2-hexenal and cis-3-hexenyl acetate, which are wild grass odors and indicators of lower tea leaves, are kept low by adopting column extraction and combining with other processes. Thus, it can be seen that this is correlated with the point that the sense of tea leaves in sensory evaluation is high and the point that blue odor is low.

[Extraction method (column extraction) Condition No. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6]
<No. 3>: No. In Example 1, a fresh tea leaf extract was obtained in the same manner except that extraction was performed with hot water at 70 ° C.
<No. 4>: No. In Example 1, a fresh tea leaf extract was obtained in the same manner except that the extraction was performed with hot water at 55 ° C.
<No. 5>: No. In Example 1, a fresh tea leaf extract was obtained in the same manner except that the extraction was performed with warm water at 40 ° C.
<No. 6>: No. In Example 1, a fresh tea leaf extract was obtained in the same manner except that extraction was performed with cold water at 10 ° C.
The sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

[result]
The results are shown in Table 4. In the production method of the present invention, by combining the extraction temperature with other processes at a relatively high temperature, the tea leaf feeling is particularly rich and the evaluation of freshness, freshness and sweet aroma is enhanced, and astringency and miscellaneous taste are suppressed. It is done. In addition, the results were excellent in terms of overall flavor and balance and ease of drinking. From the above results, the extraction temperature is preferably 95 to 40 ° C, more preferably 95 to 70 ° C.

  Table 5 shows the analysis results of the aroma components. From the results of analysis of aroma components in Table 5, the higher the extraction temperature by column extraction, the lower the cis-3-hexenyl acetate, which is a wild grass odor and is an indicator of lower tea leaves, and a cis that is an indicator of fresh freshness. It can be seen that -3-hexenol is generally high, and that cis-3-hexenol / cis-3-hexenyl acetate is high. It can be seen that the above fragrance analysis results correlate with the freshness and freshness of sensory evaluation.

[Presence / absence of crushed raw tea leaves Condition No. 1, 7, 8, 9]
[Method]:
<No. 7>: No. No. 1 except that 400 g of frozen fresh tea leaves were crushed with a mixer (Mixer MX-X57 manufactured by Panasonic Corporation) and then extracted with a column. In the same manner as in No. 1, a fresh tea leaf extract was obtained.
<N0.9>: No. 200 g of the frozen fresh tea leaves obtained in 1 were placed in 600 g of 90 ° C. hot water, which is three times the volume, and pulverized for 1 minute with a mixer (Mixer MX-X57 manufactured by Panasonic Corporation), and batch extracted. Next, 0.03% (w / w) of vitamin C was added to the liquid volume, and centrifugation was performed at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes. After centrifugation, filtration was performed with a filter paper (No. 2 manufactured by Advantech Toyo Co., Ltd.). The obtained extract was adjusted to pH 6.0 with sodium bicarbonate and then sterilized at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes to obtain a fresh tea leaf extract. (No. 8 is described in Example 2) Sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

[result]
The results are shown in Table 6 (column extraction) and Table 7 (batch extraction). In the production method of the present invention, fresh tea leaves are not subjected to pulverization treatment, but are used in the form of fresh tea leaves as they are, and combined with other processes, the evaluation of freshness, freshness, sweet scent becomes high, especially astringency The miscellaneous taste is suppressed.

[Presence or absence of enzyme treatment of fresh tea leaves Condition No. 1, 12, 13, 14]
<No. 12>: No. A column extractor was filled with 400 g of the frozen fresh tea leaves obtained in 1, and column extraction was performed. Hot water at 90 ° C. was passed from the lower part of the column, and an extract was obtained from the upper part of the column to obtain 1200 g of extract that was three times the amount of fresh tea leaves. Next, 0.03% (w / w) of vitamin C and 0.005% (w / w) of pectinase G “Amano” (manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.) are added to the liquid volume, and 1 at 40 ° C. The reaction was stirred for an hour. After the reaction, centrifugation was performed at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes. After centrifugation, filtration was performed with a filter paper (No. 2 manufactured by Advantech Toyo Co., Ltd.). The obtained extract was adjusted to pH 6.0 with sodium bicarbonate and then sterilized at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes to obtain a fresh tea leaf extract.

<No. 13>: No. In Example 12, a fresh tea leaf extract was obtained in the same manner except that 0.0003% (w / w) tannase FKT50 (manufactured by Kikkoman Corporation) was used instead of pectinase G “Amano”.
<No. 14> No. In Example 12, a fresh tea leaf extract was obtained in the same manner except that 0.0003% (w / w) tannase FTK50 (manufactured by Kikkoman Corporation) was used in addition to pectinase G “Amano”.
The sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1.

[result]
The results are shown in Table 8. In the production method of the present invention, the evaluation of umami is enhanced by combining the enzyme treatment step with other steps, and particularly in combination with pectinase and tannase, in terms of overall flavor / balance and ease of drinking. It was found that an excellent fresh tea leaf extract can be produced.

The present invention has a strong tea leaf feeling, freshness, freshness, sweet scent, reduced astringency and miscellaneous taste, and excellent flavor of fresh tea leaves with overall flavor, balance and ease of drinking An extract and a method for producing the same are provided. By the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract of the present invention, a fresh tea leaf extract having flavor, balance and ease of drinking can be provided by a practical method without going through complicated steps.

Claims (8)

A method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract comprising the following steps:
(A) a process of rapidly freezing fresh tea leaves,
(B) a process of extracting a fresh tea leaf extract from frozen unground green tea leaves,
A method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking, characterized in that it comprises a treatment according to claim 1. A method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract, wherein (C) a step of adding an enzyme to the fresh tea leaf extract, in addition to the steps (A) and (B) according to claim 1,
The method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking according to claim 1.   3. The method of extracting fresh tea leaf extract with flavor balance and ease of drinking according to claim 1, wherein the step of extracting fresh tea leaf extract from frozen unground green tea leaf is performed by column extraction. Production method.   Column extract is performed at 95-40 degreeC, The manufacturing method of the fresh tea leaf extract with the flavor balance of Claim 3 and the ease of drinking characterized by the above-mentioned.   The method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract with flavor balance and ease of drinking according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the enzyme added to the fresh tea leaf extract is pectinase and / or tannase. .   A fresh tea leaf extract having a flavor balance and ease of drinking produced by the method for producing a fresh tea leaf extract according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   A food and drink comprising the fresh tea leaf extract according to claim 6. The food / beverage product according to claim 7, wherein the food / beverage product is a green tea beverage.