Methods for modulating the bitterness and astringency of green tea, and nutritional products having a green tea with reduced bitterness and astringency, are provided. In a general embodiment, the methods comprise performing microfiltration on green tea extract to form a microfiltration retentate and a microfiltration permeate; performing at least one of ultrafiltration or reduced temperature fractionation on the microfiltration permeate; and using the ultrafiltration permeate from the ultrafiltration or the supernatant from the reduced temperature fractionation to make a green tea product. The ultrafiltration permeate or the supernatant can be further concentrated, spray or freeze dried to form a powder, used as a concentrate, or diluted to form a ready-to-drink beverage. In an embodiment, the ultrafiltration is performed on the microfiltration permeate to form an ultrafiltration retentate and an ultrafiltration permeate and then the reduced temperature fractionation is performed on the ultrafiltration permeate to form a supernatant and a sediment.

Methods for modulating the bitterness and astringency of green tea, and nutritional products having a green tea with reduced bitterness and astringency, are provided. In a general embodiment, the methods comprise performing microfiltration on green tea extract to form a microfiltration retentate and a microfiltration permeate; performing at least one of ultrafiltration or reduced temperature fractionation on the microfiltration permeate; and using the ultrafiltration permeate from the ultrafiltration or the supernatant from the reduced temperature fractionation to make a green tea product. The ultrafiltration permeate or the supernatant can be further concentrated, spray or freeze dried to form a powder, used as a concentrate, or diluted to form a ready-to-drink beverage. In an embodiment, the ultrafiltration is performed on the microfiltration permeate to form an ultrafiltration retentate and an ultrafiltration permeate and then the reduced temperature fractionation is performed on the ultrafiltration permeate to form a supernatant and a sediment.

Tea polymerized polyphenol-containing beverages having reduced bitterness and astringency of tea polymerized polyphenols while maintaining tea-like preferable flavors, methods of production thereof, and the like are provided. The content of tea polymerized polyphenols in a beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, the total content of RebM and RebD in the beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, and the weight ratio of the total content of RebD and RebM to the content of the tea polymerized polyphenols is adjusted to within a certain range.

Tea polymerized polyphenol-containing beverages having reduced bitterness and astringency of tea polymerized polyphenols while maintaining tea-like preferable flavors, methods of production thereof, and the like are provided. The content of tea polymerized polyphenols in a beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, the total content of RebM and RebD in the beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, and the weight ratio of the total content of RebD and RebM to the content of the tea polymerized polyphenols is adjusted to within a certain range.

Disclosed is a brewing system that utilizes a curved pedestal that allows brewed effluent to drain in a manner that travels toward the center of the curved pedestal to maximize the exposure of the effluent to the organic material used for brewing, while also maximizing yield. The pedestal 112 sits above the lowest effluent level to allow the brewed effluent to drain from the organic material that is used for brewing to maximize the amount of effluent obtained. By allowing the brewed effluent to drain from the organic material, the weight and size of the organic material is reduced, so that the filter bag can be removed from the brewing system without ripping or tearing. The brewing system eliminates the need for a separate mesh bag and allows the effluent to drain without squeezing the filter bag and which would otherwise cause the release of harsh oils and acids, which can also be unsanitary as a result of a user handling the bag filter.

Disclosed is a brewing system that utilizes a curved pedestal that allows brewed effluent to drain in a manner that travels toward the center of the curved pedestal to maximize the exposure of the effluent to the organic material used for brewing, while also maximizing yield. The pedestal 112 sits above the lowest effluent level to allow the brewed effluent to drain from the organic material that is used for brewing to maximize the amount of effluent obtained. By allowing the brewed effluent to drain from the organic material, the weight and size of the organic material is reduced, so that the filter bag can be removed from the brewing system without ripping or tearing. The brewing system eliminates the need for a separate mesh bag and allows the effluent to drain without squeezing the filter bag and which would otherwise cause the release of harsh oils and acids, which can also be unsanitary as a result of a user handling the bag filter.

A brewed beverage product is provided that, in some embodiments, may comprise an oxygen permeable container containing a frozen deoxygenated brewed beverage, the frozen deoxygenated brewed beverage including a coffee or tea based beverage or concentrate having been its dissolved oxygen content reduced to less than 2.0 parts per million (ppm) in order to reduce oxidation of coffee or tea-based flavor compounds in the degassed coffee or tea based beverage or concentrate. The frozen deoxygenated brewed beverage may further have an exterior surface formed from a frozen deoxygenated liquid so as to be substantially void-free in order to limit the ingress of oxygen into the frozen deoxygenated brewed beverage.

A brewed beverage product is provided that, in some embodiments, may comprise an oxygen permeable container containing a frozen deoxygenated brewed beverage, the frozen deoxygenated brewed beverage including a coffee or tea based beverage or concentrate having been its dissolved oxygen content reduced to less than 2.0 parts per million (ppm) in order to reduce oxidation of coffee or tea-based flavor compounds in the degassed coffee or tea based beverage or concentrate. The frozen deoxygenated brewed beverage may further have an exterior surface formed from a frozen deoxygenated liquid so as to be substantially void-free in order to limit the ingress of oxygen into the frozen deoxygenated brewed beverage.

Tea polymerized polyphenol-containing beverages having reduced bitterness and astringency of tea polymerized polyphenols while maintaining tea-like preferable flavors, methods of production thereof, and the like are provided. The content of tea polymerized polyphenols in a beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, the total content of RebM and RebD in the beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, and the weight ratio of the total content of RebD and RebM to the content of the tea polymerized polyphenols is adjusted to within a certain range.

Tea polymerized polyphenol-containing beverages having reduced bitterness and astringency of tea polymerized polyphenols while maintaining tea-like preferable flavors, methods of production thereof, and the like are provided. The content of tea polymerized polyphenols in a beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, the total content of RebM and RebD in the beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, and the weight ratio of the total content of RebD and RebM to the content of the tea polymerized polyphenols is adjusted to within a certain range.