Societe D'assistance Technique Pour Produits Nestle S.a.

Rupert J Gasser

James G Franklin

Steven N Watercutter

Lienhard B Huster

Fulvio A Pagliaro

John D Fraley

A process for producing a decaffeinated vegetable material, such as coffee or tea in aqueous extract or solid form, for use in preparation of beverages, which comprises:

Decaffeination process

A process for the production of a starting material for the preparation of bouillons from a yeast protein degradation product, which comprises diluting a yeast autolysate with at least the same quantity by weight of water, precipitating substantially insoluble salts, especially alkaline-earth metal phosphates, by heating the diluted autolysate at a pH-value of from 7 to 8.5, separating solid fractions from the treated autolysate by heating so that only a solution is left, treating the residual solution thus obtained by steam distillation, concentrating the treated solution by evaporation to a dry matter content of from 50% to 80% by weight, mixing 0 to 8% of fats, 0 to 5% of a monosaccharide, and 0 to 2% of a nucleotide with the concentrated solution obtained, reacting the mixture obtained by heating at a pH-value of from 5.8 to 6.8 and drying the mixture.

Bouillon base

Dried tea flakes are prepared by vacuum drum drying a tea extract having a solids content of 40-55% which extract is applied to the drum in a film having a thickness of between 0.065 and 0.005 cm. The drum is maintained at an internal temperature of 95.degree.-125.degree. C. Water is evaporated from the film under vacuum from 3-15 torr over a period of from 10-150 seconds to result in a dried product having an apparent density of less than 12 grams per 100 cc.

Process for production of powdered tea product

A process for preparing a tea extract is disclosed in which a heated aqueous tea slurry is confined in a first zone separated from a second zone by a liquid-pervious barrier, a body of extraction liquid is maintained in said second zone to permit diffusion of tea solubles from the tea slurry into the extraction liquid, the volume of the slurry being 0.5 to 2.5 times the volume of the body of extraction liquid. After a suitable contact time, the extraction liquid and slurry are removed from the zones and the tea solubles diffused in the extraction liquid and present in the slurry ultimately are combined, intervening processing including, for example, stripping and removing of aromatic volatiles before a final extract product is provided.

Preparation of tea extracts

A process for preparing a tea extract is disclosed in which a heated aqueous tea slurry is confined in a first zone separated from a second zone by a liquid-pervious barrier, a body of extraction liquid is maintained in said second zone to permit diffusion of tea solubles from the tea slurry into the extraction liquid, the volume of the slurry being 0.5 to 2.5 times the volume of the body of extraction liquid. After a suitable contact time, the extraction liquid and slurry are removed from the zones and the tea solubles diffused in the extraction liquid and present in the slurry ultimately are combined, intervening processing including, for example, stripping and removing of aromatic volatiles before a final extract product is provided. Apparatus for carrying out the process also is disclosed.

Dried tea flakes are prepared by vacuum drum drying. A tea extract having a solids content of 40 to 55% is applied to a drum in a film having a thickness of up to 0.09 centimeters. The drum is maintained at an internal temperature of 95.degree. to 125.degree.C. Water is evaporated from the film under vacuum of 3 to 15 Tor or in 10 to 150 seconds to result in dried product having an apparent density of less than 12 grams per 100cc.

Powdered tea product and process for production

This invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of cold-water soluble tea products wherein tea tannins which have been partially oxidized to improve their solubility are contacted with native tea tannins. The admixture of oxidized and native tannins is permitted to equilibrate until the desired final color is obtained, and thereafter the unoxidized tannins are precipitated so as to leave a clear aqueous solution useful for the preparation of instant tea products.

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Old Greenwich, CT, United States of America

Rupert J Gasser