Instant tea and tea extract
Plant extracts are products derived from plants as raw materials, where physical and chemical extraction methods are employed to selectively isolate and concentrate one or more active compounds from the plant. Huading offers high-quality centrifuges specifically designed for the production of tea extracts and instant tea, ensuring superior product quality.
Tea Extracts
Tea extracts are concentrated forms of tea that are derived from tea leaves using extraction methods such as physical or chemical processes. These extracts are widely used in the production of ready-to-drink beverages like canned tea and iced tea.
The extraction process influences the color, aroma, flavor, and yield of the final product. Tea extracts preserve the essential active compounds of tea, ensuring that the beverage maintains the unique characteristics of the original tea leaves.
Instant Tea
Instant tea is a powdered form of tea that dissolves quickly in water, making it convenient for immediate consumption. It is produced through a series of steps, including extraction, filtration, concentration, and drying.
The process ensures that the instant tea retains the original flavor of the tea leaves while eliminating any tea residue. Instant tea is commonly used not only for direct consumption but also as an ingredient in various food and beverage products, offering a quick and easy alternative to traditional brewing.
Instant Tea & Tea Extract Processing Steps
Whether it is pure instant tea or blended instant tea, the processing flow is generally similar: raw material pretreatment → tea extraction → tea juice purification and concentration → tea juice drying → instant tea packaging → finished product.
Raw Material Pretreatment:
The raw tea leaves used for instant tea or tea extract production are dried until the moisture content does not exceed 6%. After drying, they are sent through a crusher for coarse grinding. This increases the surface area of the tea leaves, enhancing their contact with water during extraction and accelerating the dissolution of soluble substances. The grind size is typically around 0.4mm.
Tea Extraction:
The flavor compounds in tea are distributed in different parts of the leaf tissue. Water is the most commonly used solvent for extraction. The tea-to-water ratio typically ranges from 1:9 to 1:15, with water temperature close to 100° The extraction time generally lasts for 10-15 minutes.
Purification and Filtration of Tea Extract:
The purpose of this step is to remove impurities and sediments from the tea extract. This is typically done using filters and centrifuges, which help remove fine particles and other impurities from the tea juice.
Concentration of Tea Extract:
After purification, the tea extract is still relatively diluted and needs to be concentrated to reach a final concentration of 20%-40%. Concentration not only improves drying efficiency but also aids in the creation of low-density granular products. Common concentration methods include falling-film evaporation and membrane separation. While evaporation concentration is efficient, it may cause some loss of flavor and nutrients from the extract.
Drying of Tea Extract:
The drying process removes moisture from the concentrated tea extract, reducing the moisture content to below 5%. Common drying methods include spray drying, freeze drying, and vacuum drum drying. Spray drying is the most widely used method due to its high efficiency, compact design, and low cost. Freeze drying is more effective at preserving the color and aroma of the extract, but is more expensive due to higher equipment costs.
Packaging:
Instant tea and tea extracts are sensitive to moisture and odours, so they must be packaged promptly after drying. Packaging is carried out in an environment where the temperature is below 20°C, and the relative humidity is below 60%. The packaging materials used must have excellent sealing properties to prevent moisture absorption and ensure the quality of the final product.
Centrifuges Used in Tea Extract and Instant Tea Production
Centrifuges are integral to the production of tea extracts and instant tea, facilitating efficient separation and concentration processes. Instant tea powder processing plants can be equipped with either single-disc or double-disc centrifuges. After separation, the tea solution is concentrated using an evaporator to remove water. The concentrated solution is then dried using a spray dryer to create tea powder.
The following are the applications of Huading’s centrifuges and decanter centrifuges in the tea beverage industry:
Tea Extract Production
In the production of tea extract, tea leaves are first subjected to water extraction, and the resulting solution is then concentrated.
Decanter centrifuges are used to separate solid residues from the tea extract, ensuring that the liquid remains clear and pure.
This process increases extraction efficiency while preserving the delicate compounds in tea, maintaining the desired flavor and aroma.
Instant Tea Production
Instant tea is a powdered form of tea that dissolves quickly in water, providing a convenient option for immediate consumption.
The production process involves several key steps:
- Clarification: Disc separators remove fine particles from the tea extract, resulting in a clear liquid suitable for further processing.
- Concentration: The clarified tea extract is typically concentrated using an evaporator to increase its solid content before drying.
- Drying: The concentrated extract is then dried, usually through spray drying, to create instant tea powder. This process ensures that high-quality instant tea is produced, meeting all the required standards.
Recovery of Valuable Components
Centrifuges also play a role in maximizing the yield of desired substances from tea leaves.
By recovering beneficial compounds such as tea polyphenols, the efficiency of the production process is increased.
The separation process ensures that valuable elements are extracted and preserved, contributing to higher-quality tea products.
Related Products:
Advantages of Instant Tea Production
Consumers expect tea to be free of any residue or cloudiness when brewing. The tea must be clear and have the desired flavor. To achieve optimal tea clarity, the use of Huading separators is an effective method for purification.
- Gentle Tea Leaf Processing
- Excellent Quality Instant Tea
- Tea Clarity
Your Partner in Instant Tea and Tea Extract Production
We understand the stringent quality requirements involved in the production of tea extracts and instant tea. Therefore, we are committed to efficiently meeting the specific needs of the tea industry with our decanter centrifuges and separators. You can experience personalised support directly from our in-house project planning team.
Want More Details for Your Application？
We'd be more than happy to connect with you and answer any questions that you have! We'll respond quickly and look forward to talking with you.
Contact Now