| abstract |
The present invention provides a tea extract which comprises at least tannin, an amino acid and galacturonic acid, wherein galacturonic acid is contained in an amount of 1.1-5 mass% relative to the total solid content (in terms of Bx value) of the tea extract, the ratio of the content of galacturonic acid to the content of tannin (galacturonic acid/tannin) is 0.04-0.8 by mass, and the ratio of the content of galacturonic acid to the content of the amino acid (galacturonic acid/amino acid) is 0.08-0.8 by mass. The tea extract has masked bitter taste, is rich in sweet flavor, robust flavor and "umami" (tasty) flavor, and has a good flavor valance. |