Application of Microwave in Tea-fixing

Tea processing is a traditional industry in China. For improving the quality and industrial modernization of tea processing, the application of contemporary science and technology in the tea processing industry is necessary. The advanced microwave technology has good application foreground in tea. Microwave refers to the 3omhz-300000mhz between the radio and light waves in the ultra-high electromagnetic wave. At present, the center wavelength of the microwave device applied in the food industry is 0.328m (frequency 915MHz) or 0.1225m (frequency 2450MHz).

The production of green tea and Oolong tea needs heating and fixing. Activity of Polyphenol oxidase will be deactivated. Some of the water in the tea will be evaporated. And the smell of grass will be volatile. At present, pan frying is a common fixing method in industry.

The application of microwave in tea-fixing is mainly applied heat effect. When the microwave of the magnetron strikes the tea, the polar molecules of the tea will be periodic act by periodically affected in the microwave. Because of the high frequency of microwave, the internal molecules of tea are colliding in high speed. The heat generated by friction can rapidly increase the temperature of the tea.

There is a trial presented that the quality of tea with microwave fixing and frying is good. The two processing methods. And the time of microwave fixing is shorter, just 1/8 of the pan-frying.

As a result, microwave tea-fixing is more effective.