Estudo do processo de extração e granulação de um blend de chás

Abstract

The Camellia sinensisis a plant native to Asia that has recently spread in the West. Teas originated from this plant are popular all over the world and are a widely consumed drink due to it’s taste and it’s beneficial effects to health, which includes compounds like polyphenols, flavonoids, caffeines, among others. It’s teas have a stimulating, antioxidant-fighting effect on free radicals, being referred to as one of the best sources of phenolic compounds, among other functions that have been increasingly explored. The interest in this product happens mainly by the antioxidant effect and the presence of catechins, which are flavonoids that have biological properties as antioxidant activity, free radical scavenger. With the growing demand for healthy foods, the research and development of new product categories have also been stimulated in the food industry around the world. In recent years, these foods have aroused the interest of the scientific community and food industries. So, an innovative research was developed at FEQUI / UFU to create a new product from these Camellia sinensis plants, specifically the blend of teas, composed by 40% white tea, 40% green tea, 10 % peppermint and 10% mint. In order to create this new product, it was necessary to characterize the material and to determine an effective extraction method to quantify the bioactive compounds present in this blend. The extractions of the antioxidant compounds were effective with the use of non-toxic solvents and the optimum levels determined for the extraction in microwaves were 38.8% concentration by weight of ethanol in hydroethanol solution as extraction solvent, 3 minutes of extraction and 184.1 mL / g liquid-solid ratio. This condition presented maximum TPC(2164,75 ± 97,61 mgGAE /100 g), TFC (12,71 ± 0,18 mgrutina /100 g) e minimum IC50(0,773 ± 0,006 μg/mL). With the quantified bioactive compounds a rotating disc was used to create a new product format, like a spherical granule. With this new form the teas become known not only as a drink, but also as a food, where it’s properties are directly ingested, for not going through stages of infusion. In the rotating disc, equipment used, the particles of the blend of teas together with a binding fluid are kept in contact, where when their particles rolling over each other in the equipment they collide and produce granules. The granulation process was optimized resulting in a % of granules between 4 mm and 6.35 mm in 43.54 ± 0.49% and the hardness of the granules in 10.56 ± 0.94 N. This condition also showed TPC (1690,03 ± 7,02 mgGAE /100 g), TFC (6,70 ± 0,13 mgrutina/100 g) and IC50 (1,191 ± 0,012 μg/mL). In this way the granulation method in rotary disc is an alternative to create this new form of consumption of the blend of teas.