STUDY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STRONG ANTIOXIDANT FUNCTIONAL FOOD BASED ON GREEN TEA

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing tendency amongst consumers to select functional food and beverages. This phenomenon can be attributed to the various properties of these foods, as well as the increasing demand among consumers for products that support a busy lifestyle and address health concerns.
Green tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, which originates from Asia. The leaves are rich in the antioxidants chlorophyll and polyphenols due to their lack of oxidation and minimal processing. The following properties have been attributed to the green tea: beneficial effects on the circulatory system, improved heart function, prevention of atherosclerosis and obesity, and anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. The majority of these are attributable to the presence of biologically active substances in tea leaves, predominantly polyphenolic compounds, as well as alkaloids (theobromine, theophylline and caffeine) and theanine. Green tea contains a large number of NAD- and FMN-dependent enzymes and it is essential for food engineers and innovative product developers to study how these enzymes behave under tea additive conditions. The aim of this paper is to successfully find which sweeteners have the minimum impact on the antioxidant activity in a sweetened green tea functional beverage.