Claims
- 1. A process for preparing a powdered tea extract which is readily soluble in cold water comprising:
- (a) extracting tea leaves selected from the group consisting of black teas and their blends and caffeine-bearing tea-like leaves and their blends for at least one minute at ambient temperature with an aqueous medium containing, based on the weight of the tea leaves, from 1 to 25% of a food-acceptable aliphatic di- or tri- carboxylic acid or from 0.25 to 10% of a corresponding food-acceptable salt or a mixture thereof containing at least 1% of the acid or at least 0.25% of the salt to obtain a first extract;
- (b) separating the first extract from the extracted tea leaves;
- (c) extracting the extracted tea leaves for at least one minute at a temperature of at least 60.degree. C. with an aqueous medium in the absence of said carboxylic acid or its salts to form a second extract;
- (d) separating the second extract from the twice extracted tea leaves;
- (e) combining the first and second extracts and drying the combined extracts.
- 2. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the carboxylic acid contained in the aqueous medium is citric acid or tartaric acid.
- 3. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the amount of carboxylic acid present in the aqueous medium is from 5% to 15% by weight based on the weight of tea leaves to be extracted.
- 4. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the salt contained in the aqueous medium is sodium citrate or calcium citrate.
- 5. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the aqueous medium contains a mixture of a carboxylic acid and a corresponding salt wherein the amount of salt present is from 5 to 15% by weight based on the weight of tea leaves to be extracted.
- 6. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the aqueous medium contains a salt in the absence of a carboxylic acid wherein the amount of salt present is from 1% to 5% by weight based on the weight of tea leaves to be extracted.
- 7. A process according to claim 6 characterised in that the aqueous medium contains up to 2% by weight of ascorbic acid based on the weight of tea leaves to be extracted.
- 8. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the amount of tea leaves contacted with the aqueous medium is from 2.5% to 7.5% by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium.
- 9. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the tea leaves are contacted with the aqueous medium at ambient temperature for a period of from 10 to 45 minutes.
- 10. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the elevated temperature at which the tea leaves are extracted is from 90.degree. C. to 100.degree. C.
- 11. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the tea leaves are extracted at the elevated temperature for a period of from 2.5 to 7.5 minutes.
- 12. A powdered tea extract whenever prepared by a process according to claim 1.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 272,669, filed June 11, 1981, now abondoned.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
2785979 |
Mitchell |
Mar 1957 |
|
4130669 |
Gregg |
Dec 1978 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
53-69894 |
Jun 1978 |
JPX |
446369 |
Apr 1936 |
GBX |
1207326 |
Sep 1970 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Pintauro, Tea and Soluble Tea Products Manufacture, 1977, Fd. Tech. Rev. No. 38, Noyes Data Corp.: Park Ridge, N.J., pp. 46-48, 74-76, 79-80. |
Lust, The Herb Book, 1974, Bantam Books: New York, pp.520-526. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
272669 |
Jun 1981 |
|