Lipton, Division of Conopco, Inc.

Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.

Lipton, Inc.

Steven Alphonse Gobbo

Gregg Lance Lehmberg

Douglas Ashley Balentine

Robert Steven Hang

Martin John Spisak

Meghan Mary Kemly-Ellingham

Andrew David Parry

Christopher William Goodsall

Xiaoqun Qi

John William Tobin

Douglas A Balantine

Clive Stanbra Harris

A cold water infusible tea leaf product is shown which brews in cold water to produce an iced tea beverage with the color and flavor of iced teas prepared by hot brewing methods. The product when brewed in water at about 15&deg; C. for about 5 minutes at a water to tea ratio of 100 water to 1 tea has a cold water infusion Hunter L Value of about 25 to 45; a Hunter &ldquo;a&rdquo; value of about 24 to 34; a Hunter haze value of less than 40 and at least 0.15% soluble tea solids.

Cold brew tea

A cold water infusible tea leaf product is described which brews in cold water to produce an iced tea beverage with the color and flavor of iced teas prepared by hot brewing methods. The product when brewed in water at about 15&deg; C. for about 5 minutes at a water to tea ratio of 100 water to 1 tea has a cold water infusion Hunter L Value of about 25 to 45; a Hunter &ldquo;a&rdquo; value of about 24 to 34; a Hunter haze value of less than 40 and at least 0.15% soluble tea solids.

A method for preparing beverage strength tea from highly concentrated solutions is taught. The method involves heating a portion of the dilution water to a pre-selected temperature, mixing this heated water with the concentrate and then adding additional water at a lower temperature to form the final beverage strength product.

Heated dilution water

This invention discloses the usage of the heated concentrates or storage solutions containing relatively high concentrations of tea solids. This heating is done prior to dilution with cold water to prepare tea beverages and, preferably, at the times of dilution.

Heated storage solution

A brewed tea concentrate is taught having about 5 to 30% tea solids, combined with selected carbohydrates in a ratio of 1.5 parts or more of carbohydrate to 1 part of tea solids. The brewed tea concentrate has certain levels of caffeine, flavanoids and gallic acid and when diluted to a final tea beverage at a ratio of about 100 parts water to 1 part tea has a total tea solids content of about 0.1% to 0.3% or higher. The beverage thus prepared has a Hunter haze of 50 or less.

Tea concentrate

An improved process for the preparation of acid stable instant tea. Enzymatic extraction of black tea leaf using an enzyme cocktail adjusted to a critical pH is employed. Black tea is extracted with water containing tannase and one or more cell wall digesting enzymes, such as cellulase, pectinase, hemicellulase or VISCOZYME at a selected pH. The resulting tea extract can then be pasteurized, polished and made into a finished beverage or concentrated and dried in the usual manner. As a result, natural tea products are obtained which have improved acid stability, good color and good clarity.

Enzyme extraction process for tea

A process for the preparation of acid stable instant tea. Enzymatic extraction of black tea leaf with water containing tannase and one or more cell wall digesting enzymes, such as cellulase, pectinase, hemicellulase or VISCOZYME is employed. The resulting tea extract can then be pasteurized, polished, and made into a finished beverage or concentrated and dried in the usual manner. As a result, natural tea products are obtained which have improved acid stability, good color and good clarity.

Extraction process of tea with enzymes

An improved process for the preparation of acid stable instant tea is disclosed. Enzymatic extraction of black tea leaf with water containing tannase and one or more cell wall digesting enzymes, such as cellulase, pectinase, hemicellulase or VISCOZYME is employed. The resulting tea extract is polished, at a selected tea solids level and temperature to improve haze. The polished extract is then made into a finished beverage or concentrated and dried in the usual manner. As a result, natural tea products are obtained which have improved acid stability, good color and good clarity.

Tea products as well as a process for their preparation are described. They are prepared by adding high methoxy pectin to an acidified tea extract obtained from low temperature extraction.

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Secaucus, NJ, United States of America

Steven Alphonse Gobbo