Green tea composition and molding matter thereof, and process for producing them

Abstract

A green tea composition comprising 100 parts by weight of green tea leaf, and 0.01 to 30 parts by weight of trehalose; a process for producing a green tea composition, comprising the steps of heat-treating fresh tea leaf, drying the heat-treated leaf, and crushing the dried leaf, wherein the fresh leaf is brought into contact with trehalose before or after or simultaneously with the heat treatment of the fresh leaf; a molding matter of a green tea composition, obtained by molding a green tea composition comprising 35 to 80% by weight of granulated or powdered green tea (component (A)), 10 to 60% by weight of maltose (component (B)), and 1 to 20% by weight of trehalose (component (C)); and a process for producing a molding matter of a green tea composition, comprising the step of molding the above green tea composition. The green tea composition and the molding matter thereof undergo neither oxidation nor discoloration, so that they can preserve their green colors for a long period of time. In addition, they contain catechins at concentrations high enough to show the pharmacological effects of catechins.

1 . A green tea composition comprising 100 parts by weight of green tea leaf, and 0.01 to 30 parts by weight of trehalose.  
     
     
         2 . The green tea composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the green tea leaf is powdered or granulated green tea having a particle size of not more than 16 meshes.  
     
     
         3 . The green tea composition according to  claim 1  or  2 , having a green color index number measured with a digital color sensor of 900 to 1,000.  
     
     
         4 . A process for producing a green tea composition, comprising the steps of heat-treating fresh tea leaf, drying the heat-treated leaf, and crushing the dried leaf, wherein the fresh leaf is brought into contact with trehalose before or after or simultaneously with the heat treatment of the fresh leaf.  
     
     
         5 . The process for producing a green tea composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the fresh leaf is heat-treated by steaming, and the steamed leaf is brought into contact with trehalose.  
     
     
         6 . The process for producing a green tea composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the fresh leaf is heat-treated by parching, and the parched leaf is brought into contact with trehalose.  
     
     
         7 . The process for producing a green tea composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the fresh leaf is treated with heating steam containing trehalose.  
     
     
         8 . The process for producing a green tea composition according to any of  claims 4  to  7 , wherein the dried leaf is made into a powder having a particle size of not more than 16 meshes by cutting or crushing.  
     
     
         9 . A molding matter of a green tea composition, obtained by molding a green tea composition comprising the following components (A), (B) and (C): 
 component (A): from 35 to 80% by weight of granulated or powdered green tea,    component (B): from 10 to 60% by weight of maltose, and    component (C): from 1 to 20% by weight of trehalose.    
     
     
         10 . The molding matter of a green tea composition according to  claim 9 , having a green color index number measured with a digital color sensor of 900 to 1,000.  
     
     
         11 . The molding matter of a green tea composition according to  claim 9  or  10 , having a hardness of 3 to 10.  
     
     
         12 . The molding matter of a green tea composition according to any of  claims 9  to  11 , further comprising a lubricant in an amount of 0.2 to 8.0 parts by weight for 100 parts by weight of the green tea composition.  
     
     
         13 . A process for producing a molding matter of a green tea composition, comprising the step of molding a green tea composition that comprises the following components (A), (B) and (C): 
 component (A): from 35 to 80% by weight of granulated or powdered green tea,    component (B): from 10 to 60% by weight of maltose, and    component (C): from 1 to 20% by weight of trehalose.    
     
     
         14 . The process for producing a molding matter of a green tea composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the granulated or powdered green tea, component (A), has been treated with the trehalose, component (C), in advance.  
     
     
         15 . The process for producing a molding matter of a green tea composition according to  claim 13  or  14 , wherein the green tea composition has a green color index number measured with a digital color sensor of 900 to 1,000.  
     
     
         16 . The process for producing a molding matter of a green tea composition according to any of  claims 13  to  15 , wherein the green tea composition further comprises a lubricant in an amount of 0.2 to 8.0 parts by weight for 100 parts by weight of the green tea composition.  
     
     
         17 . The process for producing a molding matter of a green tea composition according to any of  claims 13  to  16 , wherein the green tea composition is compacted by a direct compaction method.  
     
     
         18 . The process for producing a molding matter of a green tea composition according to any of claims  13  to  17 , wherein the green tea composition is compacted by applying a pressure of 350 kg/cm 2  or more.