Composition for Making a Tea Beverage or Herbal and Vegetable Broths

Abstract

The present invention relates to an infusion product for making a beverage, more specifically to a plant-based composition for making a beverage, and to a herbal and/or vegetable composition or bouquet garni. The plants are fruits, herbs, medicinal plants, tea, vegetables and/or spices. The invention further relates to a method for producing said compositions or infusion product, its use for making a (tea) beverage, and a (tea) beverage so obtained. Further, the present invention relates to a fiber-web, preferably a tea bag, made from said fruits, herbs, medicinal plants, tea, vegetable and/or spices.

1 .- 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . An infusion product, the infusion product comprising
 reconstituted plant material, the reconstituted plant material comprising an insoluble fiber web formed of a fibrous residue fraction of a plant, and a soluble plant extract coated onto or impregnated into the fiber web.   
     
     
         35 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of fruits, herbs, medicinal plants, tea, vegetables or spices. 
     
     
         36 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the layer of fibrous plant product comprises a blend of different plants and/or wherein the plant extract comprises a blend of different plants. 
     
     
         37 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the reconstituted plant material further comprises a binder, a wet-strength agent, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         38 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the layer of fibrous plant product and the plant extract are from the same plant or from different plants. 
     
     
         39 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the layer of fibrous plant product comprises at least 70% of fibrous plant product from one plant and/or wherein the and the plant extract comprises at least 70% of a plant extract from one plant. 
     
     
         40 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the soluble plant extract is coated onto or impregnated into the fiber web in an amount sufficient to yield an amount of solubles from 10 wt. % to 70 wt. % based upon the dried weight of the insoluble fiber web and soluble plant extract. 
     
     
         41 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the at least 70% of fibrous plant product and the at least 70% of a plant extract is from the group consisting of fruits, herbs, medicinal plants, tea, vegetables and spices. 
     
     
         42 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the reconstituted plant material has a dried basis weight from about 20 to about 200 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         43 . The infusion product according to  claim 34 , wherein the product has an optical density at 274 nm of greater than about 0.4 after 2.5 grams of the composition are immersed in 500 ml of water at a temperature of 90° C. for 20 seconds. 
     
     
         44 . A method for producing an infusion product, the infusion product comprising a layer of fibrous plant product and a plant extract applied thereto, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) extracting components of at least one plant with a solvent;   b) separating the soluble plant extract from the insoluble fibrous plant product;   c) optionally refining the soluble plant extract;   d) preparing a sheet-like product from the insoluble fibrous plant product;   e) optionally concentrating the soluble plant extract;   f) applying the soluble plant extract of step b) or concentrated soluble plant extracof step e) to the sheet of step d); and   g) drying the product of step f) to obtain the infusion product.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the extracting step is performed using components of a blend of plants or wherein the extracting step is performed using components of a single plant. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the non-soluble portion of the plant is mixed with an insoluble fibrous plant product of at least one further plant prior to preparing the sheet. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the soluble plant extract of step b) or concentrated soluble plant extract of step e) is mixed with a soluble plant extract or concentrated soluble plant extract of at least one further plant prior to applying the soluble plant extract or concentrated soluble plant extract to the sheet. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising the step of adding or removing ingredients from the soluble plant extract and/or from the insoluble fibrous plant product prior to applying the soluble plant extract of step b) or concentrated soluble plant extract of step e) to the sheet of step d). 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the composition of step g) is further cut or broken into small regularly or irregularly shaped forms or formed into shapes, dimensions and formats, such as sheets, leafs, sticks, bands, cups, mugs, bowls, flasks, kettles, bottles, straws or tubes, discs or sheets. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of fruits, herbs, medicinal plants, tea, vegetables and spices or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the sheet-like product is a fiber web. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein, the fiber-web comprises from about 5% to about 100% (w/w) fibers from the group consisting of fruits, herbs, medicinal plants, tea, vegetables and spices. 
     
     
         53 . A capsule or bag comprising the composition of  claim 34 .