High Veloci-Tea Market Innovation

High Veloci-Tea Market Innovation
Tea ingredients are moving beyond classic and historical use.
by Steve Myers

One of the most heralded and consumed beverages of all time, tea offers many good returns. While classic brewed tea will always have its place, the mounting evidence of tea’s numerous potential health benefits has sparked a growing trend of including tea ingredients in many types of natural health products, from antioxidant and weight-control formulas to functional foods and beverages.

Classic tea comes from the leaves from the Camellia genus of plants, an evergreen plant found mostly in India (assamica) and China (sinensis). How the tea leaves are harvested determines the type of tea. At the earliest stages, leaves and primary silvery buds picked and dried without firing become white tea. Leaves picked and immediately steamed and double-fired (no oxidation) become green tea. On the other hand, leaves picked then left to wither and ferment/oxidize become black tea, while leaves subjected to only partial fermentation/oxidation become oolong tea.

For centuries people around the world have brewed these leaves to make beverages consumed for both pleasure and medicinal benefits. However, over the past century scientists have discovered various phytochemicals in tea that have potentially beneficial actions in humans, primarily antioxidant activities. In response to various environmental and photosynthetic stressors, tea plants developed these polyphenols, more than 90 percent of which are flavonoids. Catechins, theaflavins, tannins and quercetin are the most active flavonoids in tea leaves.

Along with the growing awareness and popularity of tea for health benefits, suppliers have developed tea ingredients based on content of certain flavonoids and other polyphenols. “Many herbal extracts come and go, but what keeps them in demand is solid scientific research that proves their worth,” said Bill Driessen, technical sales manager of Taiyo International. “This is exactly the case with tea extracts.”

Tea has made its biggest research mark on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. According to Taiwan scientists, increased consumption of green or oolong tea for more than one year can significantly reduce the risk of developing hypertension.¹ On its own, green tea was also found to reduce CVD risk by lowering total serum cholesterol² and inhibiting low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation.³ The prized phytochemical in green tea has been the catechin EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which has been found to inhibit low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol oxidation by protecting lipids from certain free radicals.⁴ EGCG has also been shown to improve endothelial parameters of CVD, reducing adhesion of leukocytes to vascular endothelium,⁵ in addition to improving circulation and reducing evolving atherosclerotic plaques.⁶ [Editor’s note: At press time, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) denied a request for a qualified health claim linking consumption of green tea catechins and a reduced risk of contributing factors to cardiovascular disease; for more, see the story on page 4.]

Not to be left out, the black tea flavonoid theaflavin has generated similar results, reducing LDL in hypercholesterolemic adults.⁷ According to study results published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, theaflavin-rich black tea extract (as Choleve®, from Nashai Biotech) can help lower LDL by 17 percent in mild to moderate hypercholesterolemic subjects.⁸

James Zhao, chief science officer for Nashai Biotech, said a new hot area for theaflavin use is in combination with prescribed drugs such as statins. “Its mechanisms to manage lipids are twofold,” he said. “First, it inhibits squalane monooxyganase (the second enzyme in cholesterol synthesis pathway) activity, similar to how statins inhibit HMG-CoA (the first enzyme in cholesterol synthesis pathway); the difference is [the black tea extract] has no side effects to the liver or heart muscle, whereas statin drugs do. Secondly, the extract inhibits the lipid absorption at the intestine level.” He noted administration of theaflavin-rich tea extracts combined with statin drugs can lower cholesterol level more effectively than the drugs alone. “At the same time, this combination can decrease the side effects of statins,” he added.

Against cancer, tea appears to be most valuable and popular for its antioxidant activities. At the root, tea antioxidants can help avert cancer-causing DNA damage before it occurs.⁹ However, if cancer has already begun to develop, tea can also inhibit tumor growth¹⁰ and reduce the size and quantity of existing tumors.¹¹ A 2006 review concluded green tea, particularly EGCG, has potent chemopreventive and therapeutic actions against numerous cancer sites in both animal and human studies.¹² However, scientists from the Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, found white tea to be higher in polyphenolic content and a more powerful anti-mutagen than green tea.¹³

Tea has turned in impressive results in studies on specific cancer sites, including the breast, liver, cervix, colon, prostate and skin. In 2005, researchers from the University of Parma and University of Modena, Italy, reported one year of oral green tea catechin supplementation (600 mg, 50-percent EGCG) in men at high risk of prostate cancer resulted in a marked reduction in development of the cancer;¹⁴ this verified their earlier study.¹⁵

“Numerous earlier studies, including ours, have demonstrated that green tea catechins, or pure EGCG, inhibited cancer cell growth in laboratory models,” stated Saverio Bettuzzi, Ph.D., lead researcher. “We wanted to conduct a clinical trial to find out whether catechins could prevent cancer in men. The answer clearly is yes.” He explained EGCG induced death in cancer cells, not normal cells, by stimulating expression of clusterin, a gene involved in prostate apoptosis.

Tea flavonoids have exhibited similar chemoprevention against skin melanoma.¹⁶ Tea catechins EGC and EGCG have increased apoptosis of melanoma cells,¹⁷ while theaflavins have curbed skin tumor production.¹⁸ Similarly, tea catechins promoted apoptosis and limited growth of human cervical cancer,¹⁹ while flavonoids from both green and black teas have been effective in preventing liver cancer development and growth.²⁰ A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found an inverse relationship between consumption of tea and risk of biliary stones and gallbladder cancer.²¹ And, consuming black or green tea appears to reduce the risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer in a dosedependent manner.²² White tea has also shown anticancer potential, limiting formation of precancerous lesions in the colons of animals treated with certain carcinogens.²³ In support, researchers have theorized white tea and its EGCG catechins inhibit mutative activity of the protein-gene pathway of beta catenin and Tcf-4, which is involved in development of colorectal cancer, as well as prostate, breast, ovarian and liver cancers.²⁴

The studies on tea and breast cancer risk reduction have produced mixed results. In response to petitions for health claims for green tea and cancer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined the scientific evidence was only worthy of a “Qualified Health Claim”:

“Two studies do not show that drinking green tea reduces the risk of breast cancer in women, but one weaker, more limited study suggests that drinking green tea may reduce this risk. Based on these studies, FDA concludes that it is highly unlikely that green tea reduces the risk of breast cancer.” Despite the emerging research on positive effects of EGCG on prostate cancer, FDA also approved only the qualified claim: “One weak and limited study does not show that drinking green tea reduces the risk of prostate cancer, but another weak and limited study suggests that drinking green tea may reduce this risk. Based on these studies, FDA concludes that it is highly unlikely that green tea reduces the risk of prostate cancer.”

Although CVD and cancer are its biggest areas of research, tea has also performed well against cognitive dysfunction, diabetes and obesity. Again highlighting antioxidant mechanisms, long-term intake of catechins found in green tea can prevent cerebral atrophy and cognitive dysfunction associated with aging.²⁵ Catechins also can prevent oxidative DNA damage during the early stages of brain atrophy; specifically, EGCG can protect the hippocampus from harmful amyloid beta protein and oxidation.^26,27 However, some scientists suggest tea catechins may protect the brain via a combination of iron chelation, scavenging of radicals, activation of survival genes and cell signaling pathways, and regulation of both mitochondrial function and the ubiquitin-proteasome system.²⁸ This array of activity may be behind tea catechins’ protective effects in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.²⁹

On diabetes, tea flavonoids may help prevent disease development by protecting pancreatic cells from free radical damage while preserving insulin-producing beta cells.³⁰ Tea has also been credited with limiting insulin resistance,³¹ promoting glucose metabolism³² and controlling blood glucose levels.³³

Tea is also making headway in the area of weight management. “If you look at all the weight loss products on the market, more than 60 percent have some kind of tea extract in them,” said Lee Zhong, M.D., Ph.D., president of NatureGen. Research has shown tea catechins can inhibit the enzymatic activity that can lead to fat storage.³⁴ In one trial, supplementation with tea catechins significantly reduced high-fat, diet-induced body weight gain, visceral and liver fat accumulation, and the development of hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia.³⁵ More recently, researchers have indicated EGCG can boost endurance and burn fat in exercising animals.³⁶ And, a Japanese study revealed tea’s LDL-lowering effects is due to improvements to certain weight management parameters.³⁷ In the trial, supplementation with 690 mg/d of catechins from green and oolong teas in men led to reductions in body weight, body-mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat mass and subcutaneous fat area, as well as improvements to LDL.

The ability of tea compounds to inhibit lipase, the enzyme that controls fat digestion and absorption, appears to be dependent upon the processing of the tea leaves. Weight management benefits have been found in both green and oolong teas, but in 2006, British researchers concluded black tea had a greater effect on lipase activity than did green tea.³⁸ Zhong explained that fermentation of green tea polymerizes and thymolizes the catechins. “Thymolized polyphenols appear to be better at inhibiting fat absorption,” he said. He added NatureGen is on the verge of launching Lipotame™, an extract rich in thymolized polyphenols from tea leaves fermented to a slightly different degree than in straight black or oolong teas.

Zhong, whose company also offers green tea extract used mainly in weight loss products, said despite the health potential of black tea, the U.S. market is still focused on EGCG and green tea. “Green tea has become today one of the best selling ingredients for the dietary supplement, food and beverage markets,” said Antoine Dauby, marketing manger with Naturex. “The significant growth of green tea extract sales over the recent years is directly linked to the increase in consumer awareness of researched health benefits.” Andy Holliday, president and founder of A. Holliday & Company, agreed. “More recently, there has been a tremendous upsurge in the awareness and popularity in green tea,” he said. “This development is based on the reported health benefits of green tea, rather than a taste preference.” He further credited modern-day processing techniques that allow green tea to be extracted and standardized in powder form.

“More companies these days are targeted and use EGCG as a spec,” Zhong said. “A few years ago, people were talking about a 30- to 40-percent EGCG extract, but now they are now leaning toward 50- to 70-percent extract or even, like we are, trying to get 90-percent EGCG.” He noted full spectrum extracts can also be beneficial, as they may contain about 50-percent EGCG in addition to the full array of other flavonoids, polyphenols, amino acids, minerals and alkoloids found in tea plants.

In their many forms, tea extract ingredients are beginning to make inroads to the broad natural products market. According to a Packaged Facts report, “The U.S.Market for Tea and Ready-to-Drink Tea,” the current tea market is about $6.8 billion but will reach $10 billion by 2010. “Green tea is hot right now—in fact it’s getting dangerously close to becoming a cliché for a food to contain green tea,” said Don Montuori, publisher of Packaged Facts. “White tea is the newest trend, and it’s said to have even more health advantages than green tea. But, it may not take off with the same trajectory as green tea, since it’s more expensive and the flavor is more subtle.”

What may lie ahead? “The future holds many potential uses for these potent extracts in the food, beverage, cosmetic and pharmaceutical categories,” Holliday quipped. In fact, he said the possibilities are limitless for adding green tea powder extracts as an ingredient in breakfast cereals, baked goods, ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, snack foods, a wide range of cosmetics, and both dietary supplement and pharmaceutical products. “At present, the most wide spread application of tea as an ingredient is in RTD beverages,” he stated.

Driessen explained there are two basic directions product developers can take when formulating with tea ingredients. “The first is a product that looks and tastes like tea,” he said. In this manner, the product can be positioned relative to its health benefits, taste or even its Asian cultural relevance. Zhao added it makes sense to put a tea extract back into tea to make fortified green or black tea, which would then be considered a functional beverage—with benefits to heart health, for example.

The other suggested avenue of tea extract application, according to Driessen, could be a product that may not have the color, taste or appearance of tea, but may contain a robust profile of concentrated antioxidant compounds, including tannins, flavonoids and catechins, such as EGCG.“In this type of application, there is more potential for real health benefit,” he said. Holliday agreed, adding, “In our opinion, it is mostly the antioxidant properties of green tea that will make it a highly sought after ingredient.”

Given tea ingredients’ potential inclusion in everything from food bars and cookies, to toothpaste and supplements, formulators and developers need to keep in mind numerous processing and handling concerns. As antioxidants, tea extracts can react with numerous elements. “In a capsule, some tea ingredients can be oxidized, so maybe a soft gel would be a better delivery system for a supplement,” Zhong advised. “For a functional beverage, a carbonated drink might be a bit better, because oxygen is mostly gone.” He noted tea extract is more stable as a powder than as a liquid, and inclusion of tea ingredients in beverages would require extra stabilization. “You can use them in liquid form, but to be stable you have to add other chemicals,” he said.

Driessen further advised mineral content in a product can react with tea polyphenols, causing color and flavor changes. “This is not a big hurdle, but one that needs to be considered,” he explained. “As for processing and handling, green tea extracts show high stability against heat, pH and salt concerns typical in bottling and processing operations.” However, he warned the high polyphenolic and catechin content of tea extracts have inherent bitterness. “The idea is to work with the bitterness instead of fighting it,” he suggested. “In this way, you can arrive at a more natural tasting product without excessive masking or sweetening agents.”

The rapid entry by tea ingredients into numerous areas of the natural and healthy product markets is fueled by ongoing research into health benefits, as well as continuous exploration of product applications. “This solid foundation of credible scientific research leads us to believe this market is in a growth stage that has not yet neared its peak,” Driessen stated.“Public knowledge is increasing and with it comes the demand for high quality, delicious products that are fortified with the healthy compounds found in tea extracts.”

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