We know that antioxidants in food can help enhance taste and maintain stability. With the increasing public demand for natural and healthy food, natural antioxidants are gradually gaining popularity. Tea polyphenol, as one of them, not only cause no damage to health, but also extends the shelf life of food, and is now widely used in beverages, baked goods, convenience foods and many other food areas. Foodmate will take you to learn more about tea polyphenols.

1. What is tea polyphenol

Tea polyphenols, also known as Vitaminophenols, is a general term for a class of polyphenol compounds in tea. It mainly includes catechins, flavonoids, anthocyanins and so on, and catechin compounds account for more than 60% of the total tea polyphenols. Catechin compounds mainly include catechin (EC), gallocatechin (EGC), catechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

In addition, tea polyphenols have a unique taste and aroma, and is one of the main ingredients in the formation of the color and flavor of tea.

2. The antioxidant function of tea polyphenols

Oxidation is one of the important factors leading to the deterioration of food, including fruits, in addition to color fading, browning, but also destroy vitamins, so that the flavor changes, thereby reducing the nutritional value. Tea polyphenols are natural antioxidants, in which the phenolic hydroxyl group on the B and C rings of catechins has the activity of a hydrogen donor, which can combine with free radicals in fruits and interrupt the chain reaction, thus achieving the purpose of antioxidant in fruits. At the same time, tea polyphenols can also complex calcium, copper, iron and other 10 kinds of metal ions, has a strong performance of complexing metal ions, thus slowing down the occurrence of browning reaction.

3. Requirements for the use of tea polyphenols in different countries/regions

EU: The EU does not provide a specific definition of tea polyphenols, but rather harmonizes the term green tea extract. Among other things, aqueous green tea extracts can be used in beverages, but they should have a composition comparable to that of a traditional green tea infusion when recovered in beverages. In 2022, the EU added EGCG to the list of restricted substances, with the condition of use being that intake should be less than 800mg per day.

USA: The FDA considers Oil-Soluble Green Tea Extract (OS-GTE) as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) substances, which can be used as antioxidants in food. The scope and amount of OS-GTE used in some foods are listed below:

^aOS-GTE is not intended for use in meat and poultry products that are regulated by the FSIS of the USDA.

China: China lists tea polyphenols as antioxidants in food additives, and tea polyphenols added to food must comply with the provisions of the “National Food Safety Standard for Food Additives Tea Polyphenol (TP)” (GB 1886.211-2016). In addition, the “National Food Safety Standard for Uses of Food Additives” (GB 2760-2014) also stipulates the maximum amount of tea polyphenols used in food and the scope of addition. The scope and amount of tea polyphenols used in some foods are as follows:

In addition, in 2010, the former Ministry of Health approved EGCG as novel food with consumption of ≤300 mg/day (calculated as EGCG), and the scope of use did not include foods for infants and young children. In 2023, the National Health Commission also approved catechins as a new food ingredient, with a recommended consumption of ≤300 mg/day (calculated as total catechin analogs), and stipulated that when used and consumed in conjunction with EGCG, the recommended total intake ≤300 mg/day (calculated as total catechins) when used and consumed together with EGCG.

Conclusion

Tea polyphenol, as an important substance, has a variety of benefits in maintaining human health. Meanwhile, as a natural antioxidant, it is widely used in the food industry due to its green, environmentally friendly, safe and healthy properties. With the continuous concern of the society on food safety issues, its market demand is growing, which in turn drives the rapid expansion of the market size. In the future, with the continuous progress of science and technology and in-depth research, it is believed that the application of tea polyphenols will be even more extensive.