TWI766122B - Tea extract - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a tea extract which can impart the original aroma, palatefullness and turbidity of tea infusuion and has good dispersibility when added to water or tea infusion at ordinary temperatures.

A tea extract according to the present invention uses tea leaves as a raw material, wherein the tea extract satisfies the following formula (1) to (4) when the dry solid content in the tea extract is set to A mass%, the amount of total lipid is set to B mass%, the amount of phospholipid is set to C mass% and the amount of ethanol is D mass%, A <50 ..... (1)

0.03 <C / B ..... (2)

0.10 <B / A .......(3)

D / A <1.0 .......(4) and the tea extract has a predetermined absorbance, or satisfies the following formula (5): [A × B] / [(A - B) × C] <40 ....(5)

Description

tea extract

The present invention relates to a tea-based extract capable of imparting cloudiness to food and beverages.

Tea is a hobby that has been widely used around the world since ancient times. Putting tea leaves in a Japanese-style teapot or teapot, pouring boiling water or hot water to dissolve the components of the tea leaves, pouring infusion liquid into a teacup or teacup through a filter such as a tea strainer, and drinking it has been a method of enjoying since ancient times. However, due to changes in lifestyles in recent years, the opportunity to enjoy tea in Japanese teapots or teapots has decreased. As a convenient way to enjoy teas, the infusion liquid of teas is filled in containers such as cans and jars. Beverages are welcome. However, in the production of container-filled tea beverages, in order to avoid precipitation of the infusion of tea leaves during long-term storage and damage to the appearance, clarification by filtration or the like is performed, and high temperature sterilization is performed to prevent spoilage. Through these treatments, the aroma and the richness inherent in the tea infusion solution disappear, and the turbidity inherent in the infusion solution of tea also disappears. Various improvement efforts have been made in order to supplement these disappearances in the manufacturing process. For example, a patent document describes the manufacturing method of the tea-type extract in which the tea-type raw material system is extracted in the presence of tannase and protease. Patent Document 2 describes tea that acts on glutaminase during or after extraction of tea raw materials Method for making an extract.

However, amino acids are enhanced by the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, and although the sweetness derived from the amino acids can be enhanced, the aroma and richness inherent in the soaking liquid cannot be imparted.

In addition, as described in Patent Document 3, in recent years, a method of adding matcha or finely pulverized tea leaves in the production process has been known in order to make the container-filled tea beverages have a flavor and appearance close to those brewed in a Japanese teapot. However, when matcha or finely pulverized tea leaves are added to water or an aqueous solution, so-called small lumps are formed due to poor dispersion. Therefore, it is necessary to stir for a long time or use a homogenizer for treatment. In addition, since the tea leaves themselves are added, there is also a problem that the tea leaves stick to the plates of the heat exchanger and are easily scorched during the sterilization process.

Patent Document 4 describes a method for producing an extract from tea leaves using an organic solvent, a method for producing instant green tea obtained by extracting green tea with ethanol, concentrating, and drying. However, since it is instant green tea, it is intended to be dissolved in hot water for drinking. Although it is easy to dissolve in hot water and disperse, it is practically applicable from the viewpoints of safety and quality maintenance at the beverage manufacturing site. Below the normal temperature in the temperature zone, there is a problem that the dispersibility is remarkably poor.

[Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-337181

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-042625

[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-127242

[Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-186748

An object of the present invention is to provide a tea extract which can impart the original aroma, richness, and turbidity to infusions of teas, and which has good dispersibility when added to water at room temperature or infusions of teas.

As a result of careful examination in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present invention have found that when a tea extract whose dry solid content, total lipid content, phospholipid mass, and ethanol concentration are adjusted to specific ratios is added to water or a tea infusion solution Dispersion is good, and it can impart the original aroma, richness, and turbidity to the infusion liquid of teas.

That is, the present invention is structured as described in the following [1] to [6].

[1] A tea extract, using tea leaves as a raw material, wherein relative to the total amount of the tea extract, the dry solid content in the tea extract is A mass %, the total lipid mass is B mass %, and the phospholipid When the mass is C mass % and the ethanol amount is D mass %, the tea extract satisfies the following formulas (1) to (4): A<50‧‧‧(1)

0.03<C/B‧‧‧(2)

0.10<B/A‧‧‧(3)

D/A<1.0‧‧‧(4), and with respect to 100 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water at 25°C, 0.3 part by mass of the tea extract in terms of dry solids was added to the ion-exchanged water, and stirred at 60 rpm for 10 The suspension obtained in seconds is obtained by standing at 4°C for 24 hours The absorbance of 10ml of the upper layer of the supernatant at a wavelength of 600nm is above 0.3.

[2] The tea extract according to the aforementioned [1], further satisfying the following formula (5): [A×B]/[((A-B)×C]<40‧‧‧(5).

[3] A tea extract, using tea leaves as a raw material, wherein relative to the total amount of the tea extract, the dry solid content in the tea extract is A mass %, the total lipid mass is B mass %, and the phospholipid mass is is C mass %, when the ethanol content is D mass %, the tea extract satisfies the following formulas (1) to (5): A<50‧‧‧(1)

0.03<C/B‧‧‧(2)

0.10<B/A‧‧‧(3)

D/A<1.0‧‧‧(4)

[A×B]/[((A-B)×C]<40‧‧‧(5).

[4] The tea extract according to any one of the aforementioned [1] to [3], which is derived from Camellia sinensis.

[5] The tea-based extract according to any one of the aforementioned [1] to [4], which is derived from green tea.

[6] A food or drink containing the tea-based extract according to any one of the above [1] to [5].

In addition, in this specification, mass % is also shown as "w/w%". In addition, g and kg mean the unit of mass.

The tea extracts of the present invention can provide teas with A tea extract with good dispersibility when added to water at room temperature or to a tea infusion, which has the original aroma, body, and turbidity of the infusion.

[The form of carrying out the invention]

<Tea Extract>

Regarding the tea extract using tea leaves as the raw material in the present invention, relative to the total amount of the tea extract, the dry solid content in the tea extract is taken as A mass %, the total lipid mass is taken as B mass %, and the phospholipid mass is taken as C mass %, when the ethanol amount is D mass %, those satisfying the following formulae (1) to (4): A<50‧‧‧(1)

0.03<C/B‧‧‧(2)

0.10<B/A‧‧‧(3)

D/A<1.0‧‧‧(4).

Then, it is preferable to add 0.3 parts by mass of the tea extract in terms of dry solid content to ion-exchanged water with respect to 100 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water at 25° C., and stir at 60 rpm for 10 seconds to obtain the tea extract. The resulting suspension was left standing at 4°C for 24 hours, and the absorbance of 10 ml of the upper layer of the supernatant obtained at a wavelength of 600 nm was 0.3 or more.

In addition, the tea extract of the present invention preferably satisfies [(total lipid mass)/(dry solid content-total lipid mass)]/[(phospholipid mass)/(dry solid content)]<40, that is, it satisfies B/((A-B)×A/C<40, this is the following formula (5) which is more simple mathematical formula: [A×B]/[((A-B)×C]<40‧‧‧(5)

The tea extract of the present invention can be used as a food additive and can more naturally impart the original aroma, richness, and turbidity of the infusion liquid of tea to food and drink compared with conventional tea taste improving agents, etc., and furthermore , has the advantage of good dispersibility when added to normal temperature water or tea infusion.

When the dry solid content (A) in the tea extract is 50% by mass or more, the dispersibility becomes extremely poor, and when the tea extract is suspended in water at room temperature or liquid food and drink, turbidity cannot be imparted. As a result, Precipitation is more likely. In the case of drying by spray drying, freeze drying, etc., the dispersibility becomes worse. Addition of 50% by mass or more of the dried extract to hot water or liquid food and drink heated to 100°C shows improvement in dispersibility. From the viewpoint of stability, it is difficult to disperse easily at room temperature. Therefore, the dry solid content of the present invention is less than 50 mass %, and more preferably 40 mass % or less. In addition, the lower limit of the dry solid content is not particularly limited, but when the dry solid content is low, the temporal stability of the emulsified particles in the extract deteriorates, and the particles are not dispersed when suspended in liquid food and drink due to particle aggregation. Precipitation tends to increase slightly. From such a viewpoint, 7 mass % or more is preferable, and 10 mass % or more is more preferable.

When the phospholipid mass/total lipid mass (C/B) is less than 0.03, when the tea extract is suspended in liquid food and drink, emulsification is difficult, and the effect of imparting turbidity and enhancing the mellow feeling cannot be obtained, on the one hand, sedimentation There is an increased possibility. Therefore, the phospholipid mass/total lipid mass ratio exceeds 0.03, preferably 0.04 or more, and particularly preferably 0.06 or more.

When the total fat mass/dry solid content (B/A) is 0.10 or less, when the tea extract is suspended in a liquid food or drink, the effect of imparting turbidity and improving the body feeling cannot be obtained. Therefore, the total fat mass/dry solid content is more than 0.10, and is particularly preferably 0.15 or more.

When the amount of ethanol/dry solids (D/A) is 1.0 or more, the residual amount of ethanol is too large, the emulsification is inhibited, the precipitation increases, and the desired effects of imparting turbidity and improving body feeling cannot be obtained. Therefore, the amount of ethanol/dry solids is less than 1.0, and particularly preferably 0.9 or less.

In addition, the tea extract of the present invention is obtained by adding 0.3 part by mass of the tea extract in terms of dry solid content to 100 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water at 25° C. to the ion-exchanged water, and stirring at 60 rpm for 10 seconds The obtained suspension was left to stand at 4° C. for 24 hours, and 10 ml of the upper layer of the obtained supernatant liquid was taken with a pipette and the absorbance at a wavelength of 600 nm was 0.3 or more, more preferably 0.5 or more.

Here, in the present invention, the above-mentioned supernatant solution is 10 ml of the upper layer sucked with a pipette.

In addition, the formula (5) is a value obtained by dividing the ratio of the total lipid of the non-polar component and the (dry solid content-total lipid content) of the polar component by the ratio of the phospholipid mass to the dry solid content, which can be used as According to the index of the degree of emulsification, the tea composition with a value of 40 or more in the formula (5) is the proportion of total lipids so large that emulsification is difficult, the amount of sedimentation increases, or the amount of total lipids is so small that turbidity or turbidity cannot be expected. Possibility of giving the degree of mellow feeling.

In addition, the content value of each component mentioned above and the physical property value of a composition can be measured by the method disclosed in this Example.

In addition, the tea extract of the present invention is derived from the tea tree as good. Specifically, raw material tea leaves used for extraction include sencha (sen-chia), ban-chia (ban-chia), gyokuro ( gyokuro), sweet tea (ten-chia), ax-fried tea (kamairi-chia), etc. are green teas that are not fermented tea; The raw tea leaves can be used in their original state, but from the viewpoint of extraction efficiency, it is better to use a cutting machine or a comprehensive finishing machine, and it is more preferable to use powdered tea pulverized by a stone mortar, a high-speed pulverizer, a ball mill, a jet mill, etc. good. However, in the case of houji-chia, which is used by frying tea leaves or the like, since the desired effect may not be obtained, the tea leaves used as raw materials are treated at a temperature exceeding 150° C. before extraction. It is better to use fresh tea leaves. Also, it is better to come from green tea.

<Production method of tea extract>

The manufacturing method of the tea extract of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is necessary to avoid dryness in the manufacturing process.

One aspect of the manufacturing method for obtaining the tea type extract of this invention is demonstrated below.

Use a solution containing a hydrophilic organic solvent, preferably an aqueous solution containing more than 60% by mass of ethanol, more preferably an aqueous solution containing more than 80% by mass of ethanol, or preferably a hydrophilic organic solvent containing more than 20% by mass of ethanol. The solution was used as the extraction solvent. The tea extract of the present invention is obtained by obtaining the crude extract through the extraction process, and then appropriately repeatedly performing the concentration process and the water addition process on the crude extract. For example, 4 to 20 parts by mass of a solvent is added to 1 part by mass of tea leaves as a raw material, and the temperature is 10 to 80° C., preferably 25 to 25°C. 60°C for 5 to 600 minutes, preferably 10 to 240 minutes, to obtain a crude extract. Due to extraction with a solution containing ethanol, the total lipid mass ratio and the phospholipid mass ratio are relatively high, and because the above-mentioned temperature and above-mentioned extraction time are set, there is an advantage in suppressing the loss of aroma. This crude extract is filtered, and the filtrate is concentrated by a concentration method other than high-temperature heating concentration that does not affect trace components that have an effect on taste in the crude extract, for example, a vacuum concentration method. After concentration, water was appropriately added to the concentrated solution, and the solution was concentrated in the same manner. Repeating this process of adding water and concentrating can increase the concentration of solid content while reducing the concentration of organic solvents such as ethanol. Here, as mentioned above, it is important not to make the final dry solid content more than 50% in the manufacturing process. When the dry solid content is not 50% or more, the dispersibility to water at room temperature or liquid food and drink becomes good, and as a result, turbidity can be imparted, and a good sensory evaluation can be obtained. After that, the tea extract of the present invention can be obtained through a known concentration adjustment process and a sterilization process as appropriate.

The extraction solvent used for obtaining the tea extract of the present invention is preferably an aqueous ethanol solution. In addition to the aqueous ethanol solution, a hydrophilic organic solvent can also be used. Specifically, acetone, methanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol and the like can be mentioned. Moreover, an alkali metal salt can also be added. Specifically, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, sodium monohydrogen phosphate, trisodium phosphate, potassium monohydrogen phosphate, tripotassium phosphate, etc. are mentioned. The purpose of adding the alkali metal salt includes the purpose of improving the extraction efficiency and the purpose of adjusting the pH of the extract. In the former case, it is added to the extraction solvent. In the latter case, it may be added to the extraction solvent, or may be appropriately added in the post-extraction process. Here, as mentioned above, it is important that the amount of ethanol/dry solids be less than 1.0. will extract The ethanol used is distilled off in the process of adding water and concentration, so that the ethanol content/dry solid content is less than 1.0, and the emulsification state of the non-polar components and polar components in the extract is stabilized. Gives a mellow feeling and cloudiness.

In addition to the above-mentioned characteristics, the tea extract obtained by the present production method has the advantage of remaining trace components that contribute to the taste (including body and aroma) of the tea leaves, and this advantage can only be confirmed by sensory evaluation. The reason for this is that the sense of taste is a sensation caused by the delicate intertwining of complex elements, and although there are components that affect the sense of taste, there are various components that cannot be detected by current analyzers due to trace amounts. Therefore, the tea composition obtained by this manufacturing method contains not only the content value of each component, but also the composition specified by the manufacturing process.

<Food and Drink>

The tea extract obtained by the method of the present invention can be used for, for example, beverages, especially beverages such as tea beverages, sports drinks, carbonated beverages, fruit juice beverages, dairy beverages, alcohol, etc.; ice creams, sorbets, Ice fruit such as popsicles; and / confectionery, chewing gum, chocolate, bread, coffee and other hobby categories; various desserts, etc.

When using the tea-type extract of this invention for a drink, the following manufacturing method is mentioned, for example. The tea leaves are extracted with cold or warm or hot water to obtain an infusion. The soaking liquid extracted with warm or hot water should be rapidly cooled to below normal temperature in order to prevent deterioration of quality. The tea extract of the present invention is formulated in an infusion solution of 0.001 to 10% (w/w). After that, the pH is adjusted with an aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution or the like, and the container is filled. A sterilization treatment is performed before or after filling to prepare a product. The container to be filled includes a conventionally known can, a bottle, a carton, and the like. Moreover, vitamin C, a fragrance|flavor, etc. may be added in the adjustment stage before filling as needed. In general, sterilization is performed under conditions such as 121°C for 10 minutes for aluminum or steel cans, and 135°C for 30 seconds when the container is a plastic bottle or carton.

[Example]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples. However, the present invention is not limited by these Examples.

First, the method for measuring the content value of each component and the physical property value of the composition will be described.

<Measurement of dry solid content>

In the present invention, the dry solids content is calculated from the mass of the remaining solids by drying the extract to remove moisture. The measurement method is as follows.

10 g of sea sand and a glass rod were put in a weighing dish made of metal or glass, and after heating in a desiccator set at 105° C. for 1 hour, it was cooled in the desiccator. Next, the mass of the weighing dish, the sea sand, and the glass rod is measured (referred to as "W1" (g). Hereinafter, W2 to W7 are all synonymous). Next, about 3 g of the extract was added, and the total mass (W2) was measured. After mixing with a glass rod, it was dried in a desiccator set at 105°C for 3 hours. After cooling in the desiccator, the total mass (W3) was measured. The value obtained by the following formula was used as the dry solid content.

Dry solid content (w/w%)=(W3-W1)÷(W2-W1)×100

<Quantification of total lipids>

The quantification of total lipids followed the lipid quantification method described in the Physical and Chemical Section of the Japanese Food Hygiene Inspection Guidelines. The measurement method is as follows.

10 to 60 g of the extract is added to a mortar containing about 10 g of a pestle and diatomaceous earth (Superite special, manufactured by Konno, Tokyo, Ltd.) in advance, and the amount of the put-in extract (W4) is weighed.

The diatomaceous earth and the extract were thoroughly mixed using a mortar, and dried for 3 hours in a desiccator set at 105°C. The cylindrical filter paper was also dried at 105°C for 3 hours. After drying, after cooling in a desiccator, the mixture of the dried extract and diatomaceous earth was pulverized with a pestle, and the whole amount was put into a cylindrical filter paper. The extract adhering to the mortar and pestle was wiped off with a degreased cotton moistened with diethyl ether, and placed in the same cylindrical filter paper. Next, the cylindrical filter paper was placed in a Soxhlet extractor, and diethyl ether was added until the extract was soaked in the cylindrical filter paper. In an airtight state in which diethyl ether did not volatilize, it was left to stand overnight at room temperature. The mass (W5) of the receiver was measured in advance, 100 ml of diethyl ether was put in, a cooling tube was attached, and the receiver was heated in a 65°C water bath to perform Soxler extraction for 6 hours. The obtained extract was concentrated and dried in an evaporator, and then dried at 105° C. for 1 hour. After cooling in the desiccator, the mass (W6) was determined. The value obtained by the following formula was used as the total lipid mass.

Total fat mass (w/w%)=(W6-W5)÷W4×100

In addition, the total lipid obtained by this measurement method is a component extractable with diethyl ether from a dry sample, and it contains pigments, such as chlorophyll and carotene, in addition to simple lipids and complex lipids.

The resulting total lipids were recovered with a spatula and used for quantification of phospholipids.

<Quantification of Phospholipids>

The quantification of phospholipids was determined in accordance with the 2003 edition of the Standard Test Method for the Analysis of Oils and Fats. The sample was measured using the total lipid obtained in the measurement of total lipid. and obtained as stearoyl oleoyl phosphatidyl choline. The measurement method is as follows.

(1) Preparation of standard solution and preparation of calibration curve

0.4389 g of monopotassium phosphate was dissolved in 1 L of water as a standard phosphoric acid solution containing 0.10 mg/ml of phosphorus. 25 g of ammonium molybdate was dissolved in 300 ml of water, and a solution obtained by diluting 75 ml of sulfuric acid with 200 ml of water was added as an ammonium molybdate solution. 0.5 g of hydroquinone was dissolved in 100 ml of water, and 1 drop of sulfuric acid was added as a hydroquinone solution. Dissolve 20 g of sodium sulfite in 100 ml of water as a sodium sulfite solution. Next, 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5 ml of standard phosphoric acid solution were added to each of five 50-ml volumetric flasks. 5 ml of an ammonium molybdate solution was added to each volumetric flask, and after standing for 5 minutes, 2 ml of a hydroquinone solution and 2 ml of a sodium sulfite solution were added in this order. Add water to 50 ml, and after standing for 15 minutes, measure the absorbance at a wavelength of 600 nm. With no standard phosphoric acid solution added as blank. A calibration curve was prepared from the obtained values.

(2) Preparation of sample solution and measurement of absorbance

Ethanol was added to 50 g of magnesium nitrate hexahydrate up to the mark of 500 ml to prepare a magnesium nitrate ethanol solution. 0.2 g of a sample (total lipid) was added to the crucible, and the amount of the sample (W7) was weighed. 5 ml of magnesium nitrate ethanol solution was added to the sample. Next, make the filter paper triangular cone stand and ignite. It was put into a high-temperature furnace, heated at 800° C. for 5 minutes, and ashed. After cooling, the ash was suspended in 5 ml of water, and 10 ml of dilute hydrochloric acid was added to dissolve it. Next, filter it with filter paper, add it to a 100ml volumetric flask, and add water to 100ml as a sample solution. Correctly measure 20ml of the sample solution and add it to a 50ml volumetric flask, add 5ml of ammonium molybdate solution, and let it stand for 5 minutes. Add 2ml of hydroquinone solution and 2ml of sodium sulfite solution, add water to the 50ml mark, let stand After 15 minutes, the absorbance at a wavelength of 600 nm was measured.

(3) Calculation of phospholipid mass

The amount of phosphorus was obtained by using a calibration curve obtained from the measured value of the standard solution, and was calculated from the following formula by assuming the mass of phospholipids in the total lipids as stearyl oleyl phosphatidylcholine.

Phospholipid mass in total lipids (w/w%) = Phosphorus amount calculated from calibration curve (mg)÷(20×W7(g))×25.4×10

In the formula, 20 is the amount (ml) of the sample solution collected, 25.4 is a value obtained by dividing the molecular weight of stearyl oleophosphatidylcholine 788 by the molecular weight of phosphorus 31, and 10 is a value for converting into The unit of g and the value converted to %.

The phospholipid mass (w/w%) in the extract was obtained by multiplying the phospholipid mass (w/w%) in the total lipid obtained above by the total lipid mass (w/w%) in the extract.

<Quantification of Ethanol>

The quantitative determination of ethanol was measured using the following apparatus.

Apparatus: 6890N Gas Chromatograph (manufactured by Agilent)

Detector: FID

Column: Ultra ALLOY-1 (MS/HT) 15m×0.25mm×0.25μm (manufactured by GL Sciences)

Injection volume: 0.2 μl

Split ratio: 50 to 1

Oven temperature: 50 to 300°C

Heating rate: 6°C/min

The preparation method of the measurement sample is as follows.

Take 0.1 to 1 g of the extract in a conical flask and weigh it. As an internal standard, 0.1 g of butanol was taken and weighed. 99 g of ion-exchanged water was added and weighed. After thorough mixing, it was used for gas chromatography. In addition, a known concentration of ethanol was used instead of the extract to make a calibration curve. The concentration of ethanol was determined from the area value of ethanol obtained as a result of the gas chromatography, the area value of the internal standard, and the concentration of the added internal standard.

<Measurement of Dispersibility, Turbidity, and Precipitation of Extract>

When the extract is added to liquid food and drink, the turbidity is high and the precipitation that impairs the appearance is small, which are important judgment indicators for judging the quality of the extract. In addition, from the viewpoints of safety at the production site of beverages and maintenance of quality, the fact that the temperature at or below normal temperature in a practically usable temperature range is easily dispersed is also an important criterion for determining quality. Therefore, while keeping the addition amount of the extract, stirring conditions, and standing conditions constant, the turbidity and the amount of sedimentation were measured, and the dispersibility of the extract and the effect of imparting turbidity were evaluated. The measurement method is as follows.

In a 200 ml glass beaker (manufactured by AGC Techno Glass), the extract equivalent to 0.3 g in terms of dry solids was put. Next, 100 g of ion-exchanged water was quietly poured into the glass beaker, and the mixture was stirred at a speed of 60 rpm for 10 seconds using a spatula. After that, after standing at 4°C for 24 hours, the amount of precipitation was visually evaluated. The evaluation of precipitation was carried out in the following 5 grades. +++: Very many, or the precipitated particles are large, ++: many, +: can be confirmed, ±: can be confirmed vaguely at the bottom of the cup, -: can not be confirmed.

Next, 10 ml of the upper layer of the supernatant solution after standing at 4°C for 24 hours was quietly sucked with a pipette, and the absorbance at 600 nm was measured with a spectrophotometer. as turbidity.

<Sensory Assessment>

The resulting extract was added to a control green tea infusion for evaluation. The evaluation method is as follows.

20 g of Shizuoka-produced Sanbancha was added to 400 g of ion-exchanged water heated to 65° C., and the mixture was kept for 3 minutes with occasional stirring. After filtering with a 200-mesh filter, ion-exchanged water was added to adjust to 2000 g. Then, the infusion liquid of green tea which was cooled with running water to 25 degreeC was set as a control. In a 200 ml glass beaker, 100 g of the immersion solution was added, and then an extract equivalent to 0.03 g in terms of dry solids, which was sufficiently stirred to be homogeneous, was added. After stirring for 10 seconds at 60 rpm using a spatula, it was left to stand for 1 hour for evaluation. The evaluation was performed by five skilled panelists, and the results were averaged. The score is based on the immersion solution without the extract added as a control to evaluate the intensity of the body and aroma. The evaluation criteria of the body feeling are as follows. 5: very strong, 4: strong, 3: no change, 2: weak, 1: very weak.

Regarding the intensity of the aroma, it was evaluated whether or not a good aroma was imparted to the tea leaves used as the raw material of the extract. The evaluation criteria are as follows. 5: A strong good aroma is felt, 4: A good aroma is felt, 3: No change, 2: A bad aroma is felt, 1: A strong bad aroma is felt.

<Total rating>

The combined evaluation of the amount of precipitation and the results of the sensory evaluation was used as the total evaluation. First, the precipitation amount and the results of the sensory evaluation were evaluated objectively, ◎: very good, ○: good, △: OK, ×: not possible.

Regarding the amount of precipitation, take - or ± as ◎, + as ○, ++ and + ++ as ×. In the sensory evaluation, 3.6 or more is ⊚, 3.1 to 3.5 is ◯, and 3.0 or less is x because there is no positive additive effect on flavor. For the evaluation of the resultant precipitation amount and the sensory evaluation, the lower one was taken as the total evaluation.

<Examples 1 and 2, Comparative Example 1>

The extract is prepared from different raw tea leaves.

[Example 1]

2000 g of an aqueous solution of 80w/w% ethanol-0.05w/w% sodium bicarbonate was prepared as an extraction solvent. Next, 200 g of powdered tea (produced in Shizuoka Prefecture) of kabuse-chia, which is one of the raw materials for extraction, was added to the extraction solvent and heated. After reaching 40°C, the mixture was stirred and extracted for 30 minutes, and then cooled to room temperature with running water. Suction filtration was performed using filter paper (No. 2, manufactured by ADVANTEC Corporation), and the obtained filtrate was concentrated to 200 g under reduced pressure. Next, 200 g of ion-exchanged water and 1.2 g of sodium ascorbate were added. It was further concentrated to 190 g under reduced pressure, and then adjusted to 200 g with ion-exchanged water. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 2]

Except that the powdered tea of autumn and winter bancha (produced in Shizuoka Prefecture) was used as the extraction raw material, it was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, and the extract of autumn and winter bancha was obtained.

[Comparative Example 1]

Except that the powdered tea of houji-chia (produced in Shizuoka Prefecture) was used as an extraction raw material, it carried out similarly to Example 1, and obtained the shouji-chia extract.

Table 1-1 describes the results of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1. In addition, in order to prove that there is no variation in the evaluations among the five panelists in this example, Table 1-2 shows the scores of each panelist with respect to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1.

From the results in Table 1-1, it can be seen that when the raw teas undergo a process such as frying (frying sencha, etc.), the turbidity decreases, the precipitation increases, and the sensory evaluation also decreases. It is believed that one of the reasons for this is that due to the frying process, lipids, especially phospholipids, are reduced, so the emulsification is reduced and the precipitation is increased.

In addition, Comparative Example 1, which is considered to have a large amount of precipitates and low dispersibility, is significantly different from the present Examples 1 and 2 in the value of the formula (5), indicating that the value of the formula (5) can be used as an indicator of the dispersibility.

<Examples 3 to 6, Comparative Examples 2 to 4>

Extracts were prepared using different extraction solvents.

[Example 3]

Prepare 2000 g of 92.4w/w% ethanol as the extraction solvent. Next, 200 g of powdered tea of Guancha (produced in Shizuoka Prefecture) of Ichibancha was added to the extraction medium and heated. After reaching 40°C, the mixture was stirred and extracted for 30 minutes, and then cooled to room temperature with running water. Suction filtration was performed using filter paper (No. 2, manufactured by ADVANTECH), and the obtained filtrate was concentrated to 200 g under reduced pressure. Next, 200 g of ion-exchanged water, 1.2 g of sodium ascorbate, and 1 g of sodium bicarbonate were added. It was further concentrated to 190 g under reduced pressure, and then adjusted to 200 g with ion-exchanged water. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 4]

Except using 2000g of 60w/w% ethanol-0.05w/w% sodium bicarbonate aqueous solution as an extraction solvent, it carried out similarly to Example 1, and obtained the crown tea extract.

[Comparative Example 2]

Except using 40w/w% ethanol-0.05w/w% sodium bicarbonate in water Except that 2000g was used as an extraction solvent, it carried out similarly to Example 1, and obtained the crown tea extract.

[Comparative Example 3]

2000 g of a 0.05w/w% sodium bicarbonate aqueous solution was prepared as an extraction solvent. Next, 200 g of powdered tea of Guancha (produced in Shizuoka Prefecture) of Ichibancha was added to the extraction medium and heated. After reaching 40°C, the mixture was stirred and extracted for 30 minutes, and then cooled to room temperature with running water. 400 g of diatomaceous earth (Superite special product, manufactured by Tokyo Konno Store Co., Ltd.) was added as a filter aid, suction filtration was performed using filter paper (No. 2, manufactured by ADVANTECH), and the obtained filtrate was concentrated to 190 g under reduced pressure. . Next, 1.2 g of sodium ascorbate was added and adjusted to 200 g with ion-exchanged water. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Comparative Example 4]

Except using 2000 g of 100% acetone as an extraction solvent, it carried out similarly to Example 3, and obtained the crown tea extract.

[Example 5]

Except using 2000g of 75w/w% acetone-23.1w/w% ethanol aqueous solution as an extraction solvent, it carried out similarly to Example 3, and obtained the crown tea extract.

[Example 6]

Except using 2000g of 50w/w% acetone-46.2w/w% ethanol aqueous solution as an extraction solvent, it carried out similarly to Example 3, and obtained the crown tea extract.

The results of Examples 3 to 6 and Comparative Examples 2 to 4 are described in Table 2. In addition, the extract obtained in Comparative Example 4 was completely separated into tar The turbidity, precipitation, and sensory evaluation tests cannot be performed in two layers, a highly viscous liquid and a liquid with high fluidity.

From the results in Table 2, when 40% by mass or less of hydrous ethanol, 100% by mass of water, or 100% by mass of acetone was used as a solvent, the total extraction amount of phospholipid mass, total lipid mass and dry solid content decreased, and functional evaluation The aggregate rating of etc. also decreased. On the other hand, when 60% by mass or more of aqueous ethanol is used as the extraction solvent, or when mixed with acetone to reduce the polarity compared with that of ethanol alone, when an acetone solution containing 23.1% by mass or more of ethanol is used as the extraction solvent, it is possible to obtain A high overall rating that feels enhanced mellow.

This system is in an emulsified state because the total lipid and phospholipid are extracted in an appropriate balance, and it is easy to disperse at the time of addition, and the turbidity increases. It is believed that the emulsified total lipid has an effect of enhancing the mellow feeling in the taste, and the ability to impart turbidity and the ability to enhance the mellow feeling are related to the salty taste. Moreover, many aroma components contained in tea leaves are nonpolar components. It is considered that an extract containing a high total lipid of tea leaves contains a large amount of aroma components, and the ability to impart a salty aroma is also high. For example, when the solvent concentration of 100% acetone is too high, the solvent cannot penetrate into the tea leaves and the extraction efficiency decreases, and the ratio of total lipid/dry solids becomes extremely high. The end is not good and emulsification cannot be established.

<Examples 7 to 14, Comparative Examples 5 to 8>

The tea crown extract obtained in Example 1 was adjusted so that the dry solid content was different, or the ethanol concentration was different.

20 kg of an aqueous solution of 80w/w% ethanol-0.05w/w% sodium bicarbonate was prepared as an extraction solvent. Next, 1,000 g of powdered tea of Ichiban tea (produced in Shizuoka Prefecture) was added to the extraction medium and heated. After reaching 40°C, the mixture was stirred and extracted for 30 minutes, and then cooled to room temperature with running water. Suction filtration was performed using filter paper (No. 2, manufactured by ADVANTECH), and the obtained filtrate was concentrated to 2000 g under reduced pressure. The resulting extract was designated as extract A. Next, 1000 g of ion-exchanged water and 6 g of sodium ascorbate were added to 1,000 g of extract A, and the extract was concentrated to 1,000 g under reduced pressure as extract B.

[Example 7]

Ion-exchanged water was added to 100 g of extract B to adjust to 700 g. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 8]

Ion-exchanged water was added to 100 g of extract B to adjust to 350 g. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 9]

Ion-exchanged water was added to 100 g of extract B to adjust to 238 g. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 10]

100 g of extract B was concentrated to 63 g under reduced pressure. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Comparative Example 5]

100 g of extract B was concentrated to 50 g under reduced pressure. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Comparative Example 6]

100 g of extract B was concentrated to 34 g under reduced pressure. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 11]

After mixing 20 g of the extract A and 80 g of the extract B, it was sterilized at 65° C. for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 12]

After mixing 60 g of the extract A and 40 g of the extract B, it was sterilized at 65° C. for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Comparative Example 7]

100 g of the extract A was sterilized at 65° C. for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 13]

30 g of extract A and 70 g of extract B were mixed, and ion-exchanged water was added to adjust the volume to 250 g. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Example 14]

60 g of extract A and 40 g of extract B were mixed, and ion-exchanged water was added to adjust the volume to 250 g. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

[Comparative Example 8]

Ion-exchanged water was added to 100 g of extract A to adjust to 250 g. Sterilize at 65°C for 30 minutes to obtain a crown tea extract.

The results are shown in Tables 3 and 4.

In addition, since the phospholipids/total lipids and total lipids/dry solids in the crown tea extracts obtained in Examples and Comparative Examples in Table 3 were considered to be the same as those in Example 1, these values were used as calculated values. Similarly, the dry solid content, total lipid mass, and phospholipid mass of Example 11, Example 12, and Comparative Example 7 in Table 4 were considered to be the same as those in Example 1, and these values were assumed to be estimated values. Similarly, the dry solid content, the total lipid mass, and the phospholipid mass of Example 14 and Comparative Example 8 were considered to be the same as those of Example 15, and these values were assumed to be estimated values.

As can be seen from the results in Table 3, the tea extracts having a dry solid content of 50.0 mass % or more had poor dispersibility under the experimental conditions of dissolving in water at 25°C, resulting in low turbidity and increased sedimentation. Even when these extracts were added to the soaking liquid, the dispersibility was poor, and the effect of improving the body feeling was not seen. In addition, the intensity of aroma is also due to the loss of aroma of 50.0% by mass or more of tea extracts during concentration, and the effect of imparting aroma cannot be obtained when added to infusion liquids. However, the tea extracts of the present invention are not concentrated because they are not concentrated. After drying, the volatilization of the effective aroma components is suppressed, and the result is a good sensory evaluation.

As can be seen from the results in Table 4, when the residual ethanol content is high, and the ethanol content/dry solid content exceeds 1.0, the dispersibility is lowered and precipitation occurs, and as a result, the sensory evaluation is also poor. This is because residual ethanol inhibits emulsification.

The results of Tables 1-1 to 4 are consolidated, and the following matters are clearly stated.

It can be seen that the total fat mass/dry solid content higher than 0.10 is a necessary condition for obtaining good results in the sensory evaluation of the mellow feeling and aroma when added to the soaking liquid. When the total lipid mass/dry solid content is 0.10 or less, the precipitation tends to be small, but the result of the sensory evaluation does not show a tendency to be different from the case where no extract is added.

Phospholipid mass/total lipid mass greater than 0.03 is a necessary condition for low precipitation and high functional evaluation results. When the phospholipid mass/total lipid mass is as small as 0.03 or less, the precipitation amount is very large or cannot be confirmed, and the result of the sensory evaluation tends to be poor.

It is preferable that the value of the dry solid content is less than 50 mass % because there is little precipitation.

A concentration of ethanol/dry solids below 1 is preferred because of less precipitation.

A turbidity higher than 0.3 is preferred because the sensory evaluation results are high. When the turbidity is less than 0.3, the result of the sensory evaluation also tends to be deteriorated.

Claims (6)

A tea extract, which uses tea leaves as a raw material, wherein, relative to the total amount of the tea extract, the dry solid content in the tea extract is A mass %, the total lipid mass is B mass %, and the phospholipid mass is C mass %, when the ethanol content is D mass %, the tea extracts satisfy the following formulae (1) to (4): A<50‧‧‧(1) 0.03<C/B‧‧‧(2) 0.10<B/A‧‧‧(3) D/A<1.0‧‧‧(4), and extract 0.3 parts by mass of teas in terms of dry solid content with respect to 100 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water at 25°C The suspension was added to ion-exchanged water, and the suspension was stirred at 60 rpm for 10 seconds at 4° C. for 24 hours. The absorbance of 10 ml of the upper layer at a wavelength of 600 nm was 0.3 or more. The tea extract according to item 1 of the claimed scope further satisfies the following formula (5): [A×B]/[((A-B)×C]<40‧‧‧(5). A tea extract, which uses tea leaves as a raw material, wherein, relative to the total amount of the tea extract, the dry solid content in the tea extract is A mass %, the total lipid mass is B mass %, and the phospholipid mass is C mass %, when the ethanol content is D mass %, the tea extracts satisfy the following formulas (1) to (5): A<50‧‧‧(1) 0.03<C/B‧‧‧(2) 0.10<B/A‧‧‧(3) D/A<1.0‧‧‧(4) [A×B]/[((A-B)×C]<40‧ ‧‧(5). The tea extract according to any one of items 1 to 3 of the patent application scope, which is derived from the tea tree (Camellia sinensis). According to the tea extract described in any one of items 1 to 3 of the patent application scope, the tea extract is derived from green tea. A food and drink product containing the tea extract described in any one of items 1 to 5 of the patent application scope.