Innovative technologies in tea-beverage processing for quality improvement

Tea, made from the second of the world’s three most popular nonalcoholic beverage plants, Camellia sinensis , has long been recognized worldwide as a healthy drink. To retain bioactive substances such as tea polyphenols in tea leaves and simplify the traditional brewing method, tea-beverage manufacturers have made great efforts to increase the extraction yields of such substances and prevent them from degradation or deterioration, while maintaining the flavor and fashion features. This review highlights the recent innovative technologies in tea-beverage processing to decrease processing temperature and increase the extraction yield of health ingredients, tea polyphenols. Enzymes and microorganisms are used for flavor improvement and category enrichment, including theaflavin-rich and theabrownin-rich teas. Finally, the relationships of novel chemical protection techniques with tea polyphenols and other beneficial substances are considered. This review aims to provide effective quality-improving methods in time for tea-beverage manufacturers. • Decreasing processing temperature is critical for maintaining tea-beverage quality. • Extraction efficiency of catechins was improved by novel nonthermal technologies. • Enzymes are used for improving flavor and theaflavins of tea beverages. • Microorganisms are used for improving aroma and theabrownins of teas.