Background and Prior art India is not only the largest producer (8.7 lakh tonns) but also the largest consumer of tea in the world. Tea is mainly consumed for its refreshing attributes. The recent research findings ascribing several bioactive properties to tea constituents have further increased its popularity as a beverage. The tea consumers are now on the lookout for convenience tea products, which can replace the time consuming tea preparation procedure, without sacrificing its sensory quality. The present invention is a step towards this objective of producing a convenience tea product blended with compatible spice flavours.

Reference can be made to a U. S. Patent No. 5258188 (1993) by Barmentlo Bart, et al. wherein a process of preparing tea extract using tannase treatment and ultrafiltration is described. This invention differs from the present one in extraction step itself and also not incorporating the spice flavour to tea extract which enhances the sensory attributes of made tea beverage.

Reference may be made to a U. S. Patent No. H1, 628 (1997) by Eknayake, et al. wherein a process for production of tea extracts is disclosed comprising of extraction with water, mixing extract with solution containing protein, acidifying the extract and separating the precipitates formed. The resultant tea extract has reduced bitter and astringent flavours, which is drawback of this invention. The present invention retains these desirable attributes of astringency and bitterness which are characteristics of tea.

The way of treatment differs considerably from the present invention as well as the raw material used is green tea.

Reference may also be made to a U. S. Patent No. 6042861 (2000) by Anslow, et al. wherein a preservative and flavouring system for tea based beverages is described.

The system contains cinnamic acid or an acidic derivative thereof and an acidulant to maintain the pH below 4.5. The tea extract contains not more than 3% tea solids, which is too less compared to the 23% tea solids in the present invention. This invention differs from the present invention in terms of fold of concentration as well as uses of cinnamic acid/other weak acid as preservative.

Object of the invention The main object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparation of spice tea concentrate and products thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a composition of liquid spice flavour blend.

Detailed Description of the Invention Accordingly, the present invention provides a process for preparation of spiced tea concentrate and products thereof, the said process comprising steps of, a. conditioning the black tea or tea extract having concentration in the range of 5-13° Brix with water; b. transferring the conditioned tea in a column extractor having heating means; c. moist heat conditioning of material (70-80° C) for 20-40 min, d. extracting repeatedly at least four times using boiling water at a temperature in the range of 80 to 95°C for a period ranging between 10 to 60 minutes; e. pooling the extracts together f. adding a preservative and a heteropolysaccharide, stirring the mixture; g. further adding a liquid spice flavour composition, mixing thoroughly; and h. filling and packing the tea concentrate in sterile glass/PET bottles and storing at ambient temperature, In an embodiment of the invention, the ratio of black tea/tea extract to water is ranging from 0.4 to 2.2 % weight

In another embodiment, the conditioning of tea extract and water is carried out for 10-60 min at a temperature in the range of 20-35°C, Still another embodiment, the extraction is provided with heating means for indirect means using either water or steam.

Still another embodiment, the amount of boiling water used in step (c) is in the range of 0.5 to 2 times of tea extract.

Still another embodiment, the pooled extract is having a concentration of about 10 to 25°Brix and pH between 4.0 to 4.95.

Yet another embodiment, the preservative used is sodium benzoate. The amount of preservative used is in the range of 300-600 PPM.

In yet another embodiment, the amount of heteropolysaccharide used is in the range of 0.02 to 0.2%.

In yet another embodiment, the mixture containing preservative, heterosaccharide in step (f) is stirred at a speed of 1000 to 15000 rpm in order to get homogenous mixture.

In yet another embodiment, the amount of liquid spice flavor used is in the range 0.05to 1.0 % of total tea extract/black tea used.

One more embodiment of the invention provides a liquid spice flavour composition comprising : i. Clove oil 1.5-3. 0 ml ii. Cinnamon oil 1.0-5. 0 ml iii. Oleoresin Nutmeg 1.0-3. 0 g iv. Oleoresin Ginger 10.0-25. 0 g v. Cardamom oil 0.5-1. 5 ml vi. Oleoresin black pepper 2.5-4. 0 g vii. Propylene glycol 82-125 ml viii. Tween 0. 01-0. 9 ml, Another embodiment of the invention relates to a process of preparing a of liquid spice flavour blend having the following ingredients: i. Clove oil 1.5-3. 0 ml ii. Cinnamon oil 1.0-5. 0 ml iii. Oleoresin Nutmeg 1.0-3. 0 g

iv. Oleoresin Ginger 10.0-25. 0 g v. Cardamom oil 0.5-1. 5 ml vi. Oleoresin black pepper 2.5-4. 0 g vii. Propylene glycol 82-125 ml viii. Tween 0.01-0. 9 ml, and the said process comprising, mixing the above mentioned ingredients using a stirrer.

Another embodiment, the said spiced tea concentrate may be diluted with hot/chilled water with or without sugar and optionally with milk to make a tea beverage.

Another embodiment, the amount of spiced tea concentrate ranging from 2 to 10 ml, for preparing 100 to 150 ml of tea beverage.

The amount of sugar required be in the range of 4-12 gms and milk may be in the range of 15-40 ml.

In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioning of the tea with water/ earlier tea extract (5-13° Brix) in the ratio ranging from 0.4-2. 2, moist heat conditioning (70-80° C) in the extractor, extracting in four stages (80-92° C) with addition of boiling water in the ratio ranging from 0.4-2. 2, collecting the extracts and pooling them followed by the addition of a preservative (300-600 ppm) and heteropolysaccharide/ emulsifier.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the prepared liquid spice flavour blend having the given formulation is incorporated @ 0.05-0. 4 ml% to the tea concentrate and may be used to prepare varieties of tea based beverages.

The process for preparation of spice tea concentrate is illustrated in the following flow chart Black tea 1 Conditioning of tea Loading in extractor 1 Moist heat conditioning 4 boiling water Extraction-I boiling water Extraction-11 boiling water Extraction-III . l, t-- boiling water Extraction-IV "1 Pooling the extracts Addition of preservative/emulsifier 1 Tea concentrate Addition of liquid spice flavour blend Spice tea concentrate

The novelty of the process lies in the extraction process, which builds up the content of solids upto 23° Brix in the tea concentrate, and the addition of formulated spice flavour blend which enhances sensory attributes of tea beverage coupled with convenience.

The following examples are given by way of illustration of the present invention and therefore should not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention.

Example 1 Black tea (2.8 Kg) was conditioned with water (1 : 1) for 30 min, loaded into a S. S. column extractor which provides for indirect heating either using water or steam.

Moist heat conditioning (60-80° C, 30 min), addition of boiling water in four stages (4L, 2L, 2L and 2L), holding for 10-15 min each time and collecting extract in four steps, pooling together the extracts except (keeping aside) the dilute tea extract having total soluble solids 10° Brix. The resultant extract (2.4 L) has total soluble solids 18° Brix and pH 4.89. To this tea concentrate added sodium benzoate at 550 ppm and heteropolysaccharide at 0. 2% and stirred well to mix the contents. To this prepared tea concentrate added a liquid spice flavour blend at 0.32-ml% and mixed well using stirrer at a speed of 10,000 rpm.

Of this spice tea concentrate 5 ml was diluted to 100 ml either with hot/chilled water with addition of 10 g sugar to produce a refreshing black tea beverage.

Liquid spice flavour blend: Clove oil 1. 6 ml Cinnamon oil 2.0 ml Oleoresin Nutmeg 2.0 g Oleoresin Ginger 16.0 g Cardamom oil 0.5 ml Oleoresin black pepper 2.5 g Propylene glycol 90.38 ml Tween 60 0.02 ml Example 2 Black tea (4 Kg) was conditioned with dilute tea extract (10° Brix) in the ratio 1 Kg : 1 lit. and for 40 min, loaded in to column extractor. The moisture was heat conditioned (70-80° C, 40 min) followed by extraction with addition of boiling water

in four stages 4L, 2L, 2L and 3L and allowing a contact time of 10-20 min during extraction and collecting and pooling the extracts (except low total soluble solids extracts). The resultant pooled extract (4.2 L) had total soluble solids 23° Brix and pH 4.95. To this added sodium benzoate at 550 ppm and heteropolysaccharide at 0.2% and liquid spice flavour blend at 0.18 ml% and mixed well using stirrer at 15,000 rpm.

This spice tea concentrate (4 ml) was diluted to 100 ml with hot boiled milk and hot water to obtain a hot tea beverage having refreshing aroma and highly acceptable taste characteristics.