Deep-processed tea
The emergence of deep-processed tea is an inevitable result of the development of the times. As the pace of life accelerates, people’s demands for tea are no longer limited to traditional brewing methods. In the mid-20th century, the progress of food technology provided technical support for the deep processing of tea. Initially, instant tea, the prototype of deep-processed tea, came out, meeting people’s needs for quick tea-drinking. Since then, more and more deep – processed tea categories have emerged, greatly enriching the types of tea products.
The Production Process of deep-processed tea
Ultra-fine Grinding Process: Put the dried tea leaves into an ultra – fine grinder. Through high – speed rotating blades or grinding media, the tea leaves are crushed into ultra – fine powder at the micron or even nanometer level. This kind of tea powder is as fine as dust and can be evenly dispersed in liquids or foods, greatly expanding the application scope of tea. For example, matcha is a typical representative of the ultra – fine grinding process, retaining the nutrients and flavors of the tea leaves and often used in making tea drinks, desserts, etc.
High-efficiency Extraction Technology: Use hot water, organic solvents, etc. as extractants. Under specific temperature, pressure, and time conditions, fully extract the effective components in the tea leaves, such as tea polyphenols, caffeine, and theanine. Subsequently, the extract is concentrated through methods such as evaporation and reverse osmosis to obtain a high – concentration tea concentrate, which is a key raw material for making instant tea, tea drinks, and other products.
Innovation in Fermentation Engineering: In the deep processing of tea, fermentation engineering has been given new connotations. In addition to traditional microbial fermentation, directed fermentation technology has also been developed. For example, by controlling the fermentation conditions, specific flavor substances are produced in the tea leaves, or the content of certain beneficial components in the tea leaves is enhanced, so as to produce fermented tea products with unique flavors and efficacies.
Categories of Deep-processed tea
1. instant tea
Pure Instant Tea: Made from a single type of tea, such as instant green tea, instant black tea, instant oolong tea, etc. It is extracted, concentrated, and dried in strict accordance with standardized processes, retaining the color, aroma, and taste of the original tea to the greatest extent.
Flavored Instant Tea: On the basis of pure instant tea, natural ingredients such as fruits, spices, and honey are added to create a wide variety of flavors. For example, lemon – flavored instant black tea combines the fresh fruity aroma of lemon with the mellow taste of black tea; vanilla – flavored instant green tea adds a unique sweet aroma to green tea.
2.tea Concentrate
Single-tea Concentrate: Select specific types of tea, such as green tea concentrate and black tea concentrate, which highly condense the essence of the original tea and are often used in the food industry to endow beverages, pastries, etc. with a pure tea aroma.
Mixed-tea Concentrate: Mix and extract different types of tea for concentration, combining the flavor characteristics of various teas and providing more possibilities for tea blending. For example, the concentrate made by mixing black tea and dark tea has both the mellow taste of black tea and the aged aroma of dark tea.
3.Tea extract products
Tea Polyphenol Products: Tea polyphenols have antioxidant and antibacterial effects. They are made into health products such as tea polyphenol capsules and tea polyphenol oral liquids through extraction and purification, facilitating people to ingest the healthy components of tea.
Theanine Products: Theanine can relax nerves and improve sleep. It is made into theanine tablets, theanine beverages, and other products to meet consumers’ demands for healthy functional beverages.
4.Tea containing foods
Baked Goods: Add tea powder to flour to make tea bread, tea cakes, tea biscuits, etc. Matcha cake is deeply loved by consumers for its fresh tea aroma and unique color.
Candies and Chocolates: Incorporate tea powder or tea extracts into the production of candies and chocolates to create unique flavors. For example, black tea chocolate perfectly combines the mellow taste of black tea with the richness of chocolate.
5.Cosmetics containing tea extract
Frozen Desserts: Frozen desserts such as tea ice cream and tea yogurt combine the freshness of tea with the sweetness of desserts. Tea ice cream brings a double enjoyment of coolness and tea aroma in summer, and tea yogurt adds a unique flavor and nutrition.
Skin-care Products: Facial cleansers, lotions, masks, etc. added with tea extracts use the antioxidant and moisturizing effects of tea to care for the skin. For example, tea polyphenol facial cleanser can effectively clean the skin and resist the damage of free radicals to the skin.
Hair-care Products: Shampoos and conditioners containing tea components can nourish the hair and improve the hair quality. Theanine conditioner can make the hair more smooth, shiny, and reduce static electricity.
Quality Characteristics
Excellent Solubility: Instant tea and tea concentrates can quickly dissolve in water. Whether it is hot water or cold water, they can quickly form a uniform solution without sediment or residue, making it extremely convenient to drink.
Stable Flavor: Advanced processing techniques effectively retain the natural aroma and flavor substances of the tea leaves. And within the shelf life, the products can resist the influence of the external environment and always maintain the consistency of the flavor.
Rich in Nutrients: The deep – processing process retains nutrients such as tea polyphenols, theanine, vitamins, and minerals in the tea leaves to the greatest extent. Some products also enhance certain nutrients through technical means, increasing their health value.