Patent ID: 7560130

Claim:
A method for the production of hot water soluble instant tea, wherein the tea leaves are selected from oolong or black tea leaves, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming an extract by treating black tea leaves with hard warm water at a temperature in the range of 60 to 105° C., (b) stripping the extract of its aroma volatiles by passing the tea extract through a flash evaporator under partial vacuum, wherein the residence period is about 30 seconds to 360 seconds, (c) separating at least about 12% by wt. as insoluble tea solids from the extract by subjecting the extract to repeated clarification and polishing to obtain a clarified concentrate, (d) subjecting the clarified concentrate to a pre-evaporation to obtain a second concentrate having 6-10% of soluble tea solids, (e) adjusting the pH of the aroma volatiles to 4.5-5.0 by adding an edible acid, (f) adding the aroma volatiles obtained in step (b) to the second concentrate, and (g) obtaining a substantially moisture free tea powder capable of being reconstituted in hot water to produce instant tea, substantially free of cloudiness and haze.