Provided is a beverage composition, including: non-polymer catechins; and caffeine, the beverage composition satisfying the following requirements (A), (B), and (C): (A) a mass ratio of caffeine/non-polymer catechins is 0.180 or less; (B) particles contained in the beverage composition have an average particle size of 3 m or less; and (C) a turbidity is 30 NTU or more.

Provided is a beverage composition, including: non-polymer catechins; and caffeine, the beverage composition satisfying the following requirements (A), (B), and (C): (A) a mass ratio of caffeine/non-polymer catechins is 0.180 or less; (B) particles contained in the beverage composition have an average particle size of 3 m or less; and (C) a turbidity is 30 NTU or more.

A black tea extract, comprising 20-30% parts by weight of theaflavin and 40-50% parts by weight of catechin. The theaflavin and the catechin in the black tea extract can be obtained by conventional high-concentration tea polyphenol extraction in the art, and can also be commercially available theaflavin and catechin in the art.

A black tea extract, comprising 20-30% parts by weight of theaflavin and 40-50% parts by weight of catechin. The theaflavin and the catechin in the black tea extract can be obtained by conventional high-concentration tea polyphenol extraction in the art, and can also be commercially available theaflavin and catechin in the art.

The present invention primarily relates to a process for producing a preparation for nourishment or pleasure, preferably a beverage or a convenience food, such as a soup, a sauce or a snack, or semi-finished product for the production of a preparation for nourishment or pleasure, preferably a beverage or a convenience food, such as a soup, a sauce or a snack, the process comprising preparing a dispersion, in particular an emulsion, by mixing a functional agent, preferably flavoring, a tea extract and water with each other, and optionally drying the emulsion. The present further relates to related processes, products and uses.

Provided is a green tea extract composition, including the following components (A), (B), (C), (D), and (E): (A) non-polymer catechins; (B) a sugar; (C) iron; (D) caffeine; and (E) gallic acid, in which a content of the non-polymer catechins (A) is from 25 mass % to 45 mass %; a content of the sugar (B) is from 4 mass % to 13 mass %; a mass ratio between the sugar (B) and the caffeine (D), [(D)/(B)], is from 0.2 to 0.8; a mass ratio between the gallic acid (E) and the iron (C), [(E)/(C)], is from 55 to 2,500; and (F) a water content is 10 mass % or less.

Provided is a powdered green tea extract composition, including the following components (A) to (C): (A) non-polymer catechins; (B) quinic acid; and (C) a polysaccharide, wherein the powdered green tea extract composition has a volatile content of 5.6 mass % or less, wherein a mass ratio between the component (A) and the component (B), [(B)/(A)], is less than 0.2, wherein amass ratio between the component (A) and the component (C), [(C)/(A)], is 1.2 or more, wherein, when an absolute value (?a*) of a difference between an a* value in an L*a*b* color system of the powdered green tea extract composition after storage under an atmosphere of 37? C. and 50% RH for 6 weeks and an a* value in the L*a*b* color system of the powdered green tea extract composition immediately after production is obtained, the ?a* of the powdered green tea extract composition is a value less than ?a* of a powdered green tea extract composition ? which has the same mass ratio [(B)/(A)] as the mass ratio [(B)/(A)] of the powdered green tea extract composition, and which is free of the component (C), and wherein a change rate calculated by the following expression (2) is 5% or more: (?a*??a.sub.1*)/?a*?100 (2) where ?a.sub.1* and ?a* have the same meaning as ?a.sub.1* and ?a* described in Description.

Provided is a powdered green tea extract composition, including the following components (A) to (C): (A) non-polymer catechins; (B) quinic acid; and (C) a polysaccharide, wherein the powdered green tea extract composition has a volatile content of 5.6 mass % or less, wherein a mass ratio between the component (A) and the component (B), [(B)/(A)], is less than 0.2, wherein amass ratio between the component (A) and the component (C), [(C)/(A)], is 1.2 or more, wherein, when an absolute value (?a*) of a difference between an a* value in an L*a*b* color system of the powdered green tea extract composition after storage under an atmosphere of 37? C. and 50% RH for 6 weeks and an a* value in the L*a*b* color system of the powdered green tea extract composition immediately after production is obtained, the ?a* of the powdered green tea extract composition is a value less than ?a* of a powdered green tea extract composition ? which has the same mass ratio [(B)/(A)] as the mass ratio [(B)/(A)] of the powdered green tea extract composition, and which is free of the component (C), and wherein a change rate calculated by the following expression (2) is 5% or more: (?a*??a.sub.1*)/?a*?100 (2) where ?a.sub.1* and ?a* have the same meaning as ?a.sub.1* and ?a* described in Description.

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.