IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE FERMENTATION OF TEA

摘要

1284189 Fermenting tea A C K KRISHNASWAMI and C HARIPRASAD 17 Nov 1970 54691/70 Heading A2B A process for the fermentation of tea leaves comprises the steps of feeding moist leaves through drum, and passing a stream of air at an appropriate temperature and humidity over and through the leaves while in the drum, the drum being rotated at such a speed that as the leaves are carried upwardly by the internal surface of the drum they slip down said surface towards the other end of said drum, such that there is an uninterrupted relative sliding movement between the successive layers of the leaves, as also between the bottom most layer and the internal surface of the drum, whereby the leaves rub gently against each other and the internal surface, the leaves being at no time thrown into the air to cascade freely therethrough. The motion through the drum may be assisted by helical vanes or by inclining the drum. Balls may be added to the leaves to promote rubbing and restrict agglomeration.