JP2012135241A - Method for producing tea beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for producing a tea beverage which is capable of effectively extracting an extract from a tea raw material and producing a tea beverage having excellent functionality.SOLUTION: In the method for producing a tea beverage which has an extraction step for extracting an extract with a predetermined amount of an extraction solvent from the tea raw material, the extraction step has an immersion step for immersing the tea raw material in partial amount of a predetermined amount of the extraction solvent in an extraction tank, and a recovery step for recovering the extract solvent in the extraction tank while adding the remaining amount of the predetermined amount of the extraction solvent to the extraction tank. At least part of the immersion step, stirring of the extraction solvent in which the tea raw material is immersed is performed.

Description

  The present invention relates to an extraction technique in the production of tea beverages.

  In recent years, tea beverages with low turbidity have attracted attention due to the widespread use of transparent sealed containers and changes in taste. Extraction techniques in the production of tea beverages are roughly classified into two types. The first is to supply the tea raw material to the entire required amount of extraction solvent in a large tank and stir all at once (for example, Patent Document 1). Conventionally, the extraction amount from the tea raw material is maximized, It is used when emphasizing increasing the utilization rate of raw materials, and it is easy to obtain a beverage with high turbidity although it has a thick taste and is mellow. The second is to immerse the tea raw material in a required amount of a part of the extraction solvent and leave it to stand (for example, Patent Document 2), which is conventionally used when emphasizing improving the balance of taste, A refreshing, fragrant taste and a low turbidity beverage are easily obtained.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-23714 JP 2005-295923 A

  However, the conventional methods have a trade-off relationship between the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and any method must be used to accept some disadvantages. In addition, the conventional method cannot sufficiently obtain the strength and goodness of fragrance, sweetness, intensity of taste, aftertaste, and the like.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the above situation, and it aims at providing the manufacturing method of the tea drink which can extract the extract from a tea raw material efficiently, and can manufacture the tea drink excellent in functionality.

  The present inventors have found that the disadvantages can be suppressed while maintaining the advantages of the conventional method by stirring while the tea raw material is immersed in a required amount of a part of the extraction solvent, and to complete the present invention. It came. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

(1) A method for producing a tea beverage having an extraction step of extracting an extract from a tea raw material with a predetermined amount of extraction solvent,
The extraction step includes
An immersion step of immersing the tea raw material in an extraction solvent of the predetermined amount in the extraction tank;
A recovery step of recovering the extraction solvent in the extraction tank while adding the predetermined amount of the remaining amount of extraction solvent to the extraction tank;
A method for producing a tea beverage, wherein the extraction solvent in which the tea material is immersed is stirred in at least a part of the dipping step.

  According to the invention of (1), after stirring in at least a part of the step of immersing the tea raw material in a required predetermined amount of a part of the extraction solvent, the remaining amount of the extraction solvent is added, Extracts from the raw materials can be extracted efficiently and tea beverages with excellent functionality can be produced.

  (2) The method for producing a tea beverage according to (1), wherein the extraction solvent in the dipping step and / or the recovery step is supplied by spraying or spraying with a shower in a state where the tea raw material is arranged in the extraction tank.

  According to the invention of (2), by supplying the extraction solvent by spraying or spraying with a shower, the extraction solvent is gently supplied to the tea raw material and easily enters a gap inside the tea raw material. Thereby, since the crushing of the tea raw material and the rising of the tea raw material in the extraction solvent are suppressed, a tea beverage with low turbidity can also be produced.

  (3) The said stirring is a manufacturing method of the tea drink of the (1) or (2) description selectively performed with respect to the surface layer of the said extraction solvent.

  If the extraction solvent does not sufficiently enter the gaps in the tea raw material and bubbles remain, the lump of tea raw material containing the bubbles rises to the surface layer of the extraction solvent. According to the invention of (3), the agglomeration of the raised tea raw material is efficiently broken by selectively performing stirring on the surface layer, and the tea raw material comes into contact with the extraction solvent in more aspects. Thereby, the extraction efficiency of the extract from a tea raw material can be improved more.

  (4) The said partial amount is a manufacturing method of the tea drink in any one of (1) to (3) which is 70 volume% or less of the said predetermined amount.

  By performing the stirring, a slight increase in turbidity due to the pulverization of the tea material occurs slightly. According to the invention of (4), since the amount of the extraction solvent that can increase the turbidity is 70% by volume or less of the whole, an increase in the turbidity of the tea beverage can be suppressed.

  (5) The method for producing a tea beverage according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the extraction solvent in which the tea raw material is immersed is not stirred in at least a part of the recovery step.

  According to the invention of (5), an increase in turbidity caused by the pulverization of the tea raw material can be suppressed to a higher degree by not performing stirring in at least a part of the recovery process.

  According to the present invention, after stirring in at least a part of the step of immersing the tea raw material in a required amount of a part of the extraction solvent, the remaining amount of the extraction solvent is added so that the efficiency from the tea raw material It is possible to produce a tea beverage that can extract the extract well and has excellent functionality.

  Hereinafter, although embodiment of this invention is described, this does not limit this invention.

  In the method for producing a tea beverage, an extract is prepared from a tea raw material, and a tea beverage is produced by appropriately processing the extract. The method for producing a tea beverage according to the present invention includes an extraction step of extracting an extract with a predetermined amount of extraction solvent, and this extraction step includes an immersion step and a recovery step. The predetermined amount of extraction solvent is an extraction solvent that is necessary for producing a tea beverage having desired characteristics (generally, one or more of Brix, turbidity, ratio thereof, and bitterness intensity). Specifically, it refers to the sum of the extraction solvents supplied in the dipping process and the extraction process.

  In the dipping process, the tea material is immersed in a predetermined amount of extraction solvent in the extraction tank. During this time, the ingredients in the tea raw material are eluted into the extraction solvent being immersed. Eventually, when the concentration of the ingredient derived from the tea raw material in the extraction solvent increases, the elution rate of the ingredient slows down, and it is not preferable that the concentration of the undesirable ingredient becomes too high. In consideration of such circumstances, the time of the dipping process may be appropriately set so that desired characteristics can be obtained in the tea beverage. In addition, since the extraction tank itself is conventionally well-known, the description is abbreviate | omitted (for example, Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2005-295923).

  In the recovery step, the extraction solvent in the extraction tank is recovered while adding a predetermined amount of the remaining amount of extraction solvent to the extraction tank. By newly adding the remaining amount of the extraction solvent, the concentration of the component derived from the tea raw material in the extraction solvent in the extraction tank decreases. Thereby, the elution of the components remaining in the tea raw material is promoted again. Since the operation itself of this process is well known in the art, the description thereof is omitted (for example, JP 2005-295923 A). The remaining amount may be determined by a predetermined amount that is the total amount of the extraction solvent and the partial amount described above.

  The addition and recovery of the extraction solvent may be performed in parallel over at least a part of the entire recovery process. Since the recovery amount affects the time that the added extraction solvent stays in the extraction tank (that is, the time involved in extraction), it is preferable to appropriately determine the recovery amount in consideration of time-efficiency.

  The supply of the extraction solvent in the dipping step and / or the recovery step is not particularly limited, and may be performed by various methods. The tea raw material may be introduced into the extraction solvent supplied in the tank in advance, and conversely, the tea raw material may be arranged in the tank in advance and the extraction solvent may be introduced therein, but the bubbles are included. The latter is preferable from the viewpoint of suppressing the deterioration of extraction efficiency due to the formation of a lump of tea raw material. Among them, it is preferable to supply the tea raw material by spraying with a shower in a state where the tea raw material is arranged in the extraction tank because the extraction solvent is gently supplied to the tea raw material and easily enters the gap inside the tea raw material. Moreover, since the grinding | pulverization of a tea raw material and the rising of the tea raw material in an extraction solvent are suppressed, it is also preferable at the point which can manufacture a tea beverage with low turbidity. However, the spraying is not limited to spraying, and it is also preferable to supply a relatively large amount of extraction solvent in a short time from the viewpoint of shortening the supply time.

  In the present invention, the extraction solvent in which the tea material is immersed is stirred in at least a part of the immersion step. When the extraction solvent is agitated, the lump of tea raw material containing bubbles is broken, and the tea raw material comes into contact with the extraction solvent in more aspects. Among the extraction solvents in the extraction process, the longest time from being supplied to being derived is the extraction solvent used in the immersion process, so that stirring is performed in at least a part of the immersion process. Most preferable from the viewpoint of improving the extraction efficiency of the extract. In addition, performing this process at the initial stage where the extraction solvent and the tea material are in contact with each other effectively extracts components that have a positive effect on functionality, and extracts misty components that are extracted after prolonged contact. It is also advantageous in that it can be omitted. On the other hand, agitation causes a slight increase in turbidity due to the crushing of the tea ingredients, but the extraction solvent used in the dipping process is a part of the total amount used, so Increase in turbidity can be suppressed. Thereby, the tea drink which can extract an extract from a tea raw material efficiently, and was excellent in functionality can be manufactured.

  The period during which stirring is performed is not particularly limited as long as it includes at least a part of the immersion process, and may be the entire immersion process, or may include a part or all of the recovery process. However, stirring can lead to an increase in turbidity due to the pulverization of the tea material, while the majority of the component elution from the tea material is performed in the dipping process. For this reason, the stirring in the recovery step generally tends to exceed the disadvantages such as turbidity than the merit of elution of residual components. Therefore, it is preferable not to perform stirring of the extraction solvent in which the tea raw material is immersed in at least a part of the recovery process, and it is not necessary to perform it in the entire recovery process. Moreover, when stirring in a collection | recovery process, it is preferable to carry out until the first half which can anticipate the elution of a residual component, for example, 50% or less of residual amount is added.

  For the stirring, a conventionally known apparatus (for example, Utility Model Registration No. 3022517) may be used in the method of the present invention. In addition, such an apparatus is conventionally utilized only from the viewpoint of shearing the tea material, and as a result, it is preferable to stir the extraction solvent in the tank as a whole so that the precipitated tea material can be sheared. On the other hand, in the method of the present invention, the above apparatus increases the contact area of the tea material with the extraction solvent by breaking the lump of tea material (that is, the tea material itself is not intended to be damaged). Used for purposes.

  Here, since the lump of the tea raw material includes bubbles, it tends to rise to the surface layer of the extraction solvent. For this reason, in this invention, it is preferable to perform stirring selectively with respect to a surface layer. Thereby, the lump of the tea raw material which floated up is broken efficiently, and the extraction efficiency of the extract from a tea raw material can be improved more. “Selectively performing stirring on the surface layer” means that the stirring on the surface layer is higher than the stirring on the portion other than the surface layer, and is not limited to not performing the stirring on the portion other than the surface layer at all. Typically, the frequency at which a device for applying a shearing force (for example, a stirring blade) passes is greater in the surface layer than in other locations. The surface layer refers to a portion on the antigravity direction side in the extraction solvent, and is not particularly limited, but is a portion within 50% from the surface, specifically a portion within 40% of the depth of the extraction solvent. Specifically, it may be a portion within 30%. However, in the present invention, the portion to be stirred may include only a portion other than the surface layer, or both the surface layer and the portion other than the surface layer, and the stirring may be performed equally to the entire extraction solvent.

  The extraction solvent is not particularly limited, but water is preferable from the viewpoint of safety. Further, the temperature of the extraction solvent may be appropriately determined according to a conventional method. As described above, the predetermined amount, the partial amount, and the remaining amount are generally relative to the amount of the tea raw material so that one or more of Brix, turbidity, ratio thereof, and bitterness intensity are within a desired range. Determined as a quantity. Although not particularly limited, Brix is 0.1 to 1.0, turbidity (measured with a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 720 nm) is 0.005 to 0.05, and turbidity / Brix ratio is 0.005 to 0.5. The predetermined amount may be about 5 to 250 times (more specifically, 5 to 150 times) the amount of the tea raw material.

  The partial amount is preferably 70% by volume or less of the predetermined amount, more preferably 60% by volume or less, and most preferably 50% by volume or less. Thereby, the turbidity increase of a tea drink can be suppressed. On the other hand, if the partial amount is too small, elution of the ingredients from the tea raw material in the dipping step and thus the entire extraction step is not sufficiently performed, so the partial amount is preferably 10% by volume or more, more preferably 15 volumes. % Or more, most preferably 20% by volume or more.

  Examples of the tea raw material include green tea, oolong tea, black tea, rice, wheat, beans, buckwheat, millet, hub tea, mulberry leaves, the following leaves, loquat leaves, kelp, kumabuchi and the like. Among these, from the viewpoint of flavor, green tea, oolong tea, rice, wheat, beans, and cereals are preferable. Here, in the present specification, “green tea, oolong tea, black tea” means not a tea extract used for drinking but a tea raw material for obtaining the tea extract.

  In addition, from the viewpoints of flavor and sweetness enhancement and flavor balance, it is preferable to include at least one kind of grain selected from rice, wheat, beans, buckwheat and millet as a tea ingredient, using only grains. May be.

  The grain raw material may be roasted, alpha-treated, or germinated. Furthermore, you may use what was grind | pulverized with the grinder as a grain raw material.

  Examples of green tea include Camellia, such as C.I. sinensis, C.I. Examples include sencha, bancha, gyokuro, tencha, tea in a pot made from assamica or tea obtained from hybrids thereof. Green tea can use not only tea leaves but also stem tea, stick tea, and bud tea. Examples of stem tea include tea stem portions that are commonly used in the art as stem tea. In addition, examples of stick tea include tea leaf shafts and stem portions, which are usually used as stick tea in the art. Furthermore, the bud tea is a soft bud portion that has not yet become a leaf, and is usually used as bud tea in the art. In addition, tea leaves, stem tea, and stick tea may be subjected to burning and pulverization.

  As oolong tea or black tea, Camellia genus such as C.I. sinensis, C.I. Examples include those made from assamica or teas obtained from those hybrids through a semi-fermentation or fermentation process.

  Examples of rice include brown rice and the like, and examples of wheat include barley, wheat and wheat. Examples of beans include soybeans, black beans, broad beans, kidney beans, red beans, cowpeas, peanuts, peas, and mungbeans. Examples of buckwheat include buckwheat and tartary buckwheat. Further, examples of the cereals include corn, white sesame, black sesame, millet, millet, millet and the like. In this step, green tea, brown rice, barley, pigeons, soybeans, and corn are particularly preferably used as tea materials.

  Thus, for some or all of the extraction solvent recovered from the extraction tank, optional components (for example, antioxidants, fragrances, various esters, organic acids, organic acid salts, inorganic acids, Inorganic acid salts, inorganic salts, pigments, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, sweeteners, acidulants, gums, oils, vitamins, amino acids, fruit juice extracts, vegetable extracts, nectar extracts, pH adjusters, quality stability Agent) may be added to perform sterilization (for example, heating, UV irradiation). The tea beverage may be packed in a container such as a PET bottle, paper, can, bottle, or pouch container.

<Example 1>
A mixture of pearl barley, barley, germinated barley, and other rices was used as a tea raw material, and extraction was performed under the conditions shown in Table 1 to obtain a tea extract. In addition, the immersion process is 6 minutes, and stirring is performed for 5 minutes in the immersion process. This was performed by intermittently rotating a plate-like stirring blade at a speed of 12 rpm, but not in the recovery step. Moreover, supply of the extraction solvent was performed by spraying with a shower in a state where the tea raw material was placed in the extraction tank in both the dipping process and the recovery process.

(Comparative Example 1)
The total amount of extraction solvent shown in Table 1 was previously placed in the extraction tank, and the tea raw material was introduced therein. Then, stirring was performed over the entire extraction solvent for 12 minutes. Except for this point, a tea extract was obtained in the same procedure as in Example 1.

(Comparative Example 2)
A tea extract was obtained in the same procedure as in Example 1 except that stirring was not performed.

  Table 1 shows the detailed production conditions, Brix, turbidity (measured with a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 720 nm), and turbidity / Brix ratio of the tea extracts obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2.

  As shown in Table 1, it was confirmed that the tea extracts obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 had the same Brix or turbidity / Brix ratio, and the degree of extraction of the extract itself was the same. Is done. About the tea extract obtained in such Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-2, by five panelists, fragrance goodness, fragrance strength, sweetness strength, bitterness strength, and the intensity of taste The items of goodness, good aftertaste, and deliciousness were evaluated. Table 2 shows the average of each evaluation score. The evaluation points are 1 (bad) to 5 (good) for the good item, 1 (weak) to 5 (strong) for the strong item, and 1 (not delicious) to 5 for the delicious item. (Delicious).

  As shown in Table 2, the tea extract of Example 1 has good fragrance, strong fragrance, although the bitterness intensity is suppressed to be equal compared to Comparative Examples 1-2. It was excellent in sweetness intensity, good taste, good aftertaste, and deliciousness. As a result, after at least part of the process of immersing the tea raw material in the required amount of some extraction solvent, the remaining amount of the extraction solvent is added to efficiently extract the tea raw material from the tea raw material. It was found that a tea beverage that can be extracted and has excellent functionality can be produced.

<Example 2>
A tea extract was obtained in the same procedure as in Example 1 except that the time of the stirring step and the soaking step was changed as shown in Table 3. In addition, in order to obtain desired Brix, the amount of water used in the comparative example is larger than the amount of water used in the examples. Each tea extract was evaluated according to the same criteria as described above. Table 3 shows the average of each evaluation point.

  As shown in Table 3, the tea extracts of Examples obtained by stirring were all suppressed to the same or higher bitterness strength than the comparative tea extracts obtained without stirring. Nevertheless, it was excellent in fragrance, fragrance intensity, sweetness intensity, good taste, good aftertaste, and deliciousness. In particular, the tea extract of the example in which the stirring time was 1 to 6 minutes, particularly 1 to 3 minutes, was strong in aroma, sweetness, good taste, good aftertaste and good taste. It was better in terms.

  In the above example where the stirring time is 0 and 1 minute, when the Brix of the extraction solvent recovered from the extraction tank is continuously measured, the example in which the stirring time is 1 minute is 0 minutes. The extraction solvent Brix recovered at the initial stage (about 15 minutes after the start of recovery) was maintained at a high level. From this, it was discovered that the components that positively affect the functionality were efficiently extracted at the beginning, and the extraction of miscellaneous components that would be extracted after prolonged contact was omitted. It is thought that this is the reason why it is obtained.

<Example 3>
A tea extract was obtained in the same procedure as in Example 1 except that the amount of water used in the extraction step was changed as shown in Table 4. Note that the amount of water used in each example is slightly different because it is optimized to obtain each desired Brix. Each tea extract was evaluated according to the same criteria as described above. Table 4 shows the average of each evaluation score.

  As shown in Table 4, that the amount of water used in the extraction process is 6 to 13 times the amount of tea raw material used is good fragrance, fragrance strength, sweetness strength, and aftertaste. It was excellent in goodness and deliciousness. In particular, the amount of water used in the extraction process is 8 to 13 times the amount of tea material used in terms of sweetness, good taste, good aftertaste and good taste. It was excellent.

Claims (5)

A method for producing a tea beverage having an extraction step of extracting an extract from a tea material with a predetermined amount of extraction solvent,
The extraction step includes
An immersion step of immersing the tea raw material in an extraction solvent of the predetermined amount in the extraction tank;
A recovery step of recovering the extraction solvent in the extraction tank while adding the predetermined amount of the remaining amount of extraction solvent to the extraction tank;
A method for producing a tea beverage, wherein the extraction solvent in which the tea material is immersed is stirred in at least a part of the dipping step.   The method for producing a tea beverage according to claim 1, wherein the extraction solvent in the dipping step and / or the recovery step is supplied by spraying or spraying with a shower in a state where the tea raw material is arranged in the extraction tank.   The method for producing a tea beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stirring is selectively performed on a surface layer of the extraction solvent.   The said partial amount is 70 volume% or less of the said predetermined amount, The manufacturing method of the tea drink in any one of Claim 1 to 3.   The method for producing a tea beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the extraction solvent in which the tea material is immersed is not stirred in at least a part of the recovery step.