PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a machine and method for producing Chinese blackberry tea, which allow installation space saving and reduced production cost, achieving Chinese blackberry tea having suitable production quality.SOLUTION: The machine includes a vacuum processing chamber 200 having a door 200 in which gas permeable trays 400 accommodating tea leaves can be accommodated on one or multiple stages, a vacuum pump 320 for reducing pressure in the vacuum processing chamber 200 to a low vacuum degree, a far-infrared heater 500 for heating the tea leaves on the gas permeable trays 400 accommodated in the vacuum processing chamber 200, and an inert gas supplying device 600 for supplying inert gas into the vacuum processing chamber 200. The inside of the vacuum processing chamber 200 in which the tea leaves-accommodated gas permeable trays 400 are accommodated is evacuated to a low vacuum degree with the vacuum pump 320, and the tea leaves on the gas permeable trays 400 are heated with the far-infrared heater 500 so that the moisture contained in the tea leaves is evaporated for a predetermined time. An inert gas is then supplied into the vacuum processing chamber 200 at a low vacuum degree with the inert gas supplying device 600, so as to be absorbed into the tea leaves after evaporation treatment and encapsulated.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】設置空間の省スペース化と製造コストの低減を図れ、あわせて、製造品質の良好なてん茶が得られるてん茶製造機とてん茶の製造方法を提供する。【解決手段】扉200を備え、茶葉を収容した通気性トレー400を一段または複数段に収容可能な真空処理室200と、真空処理室200内を低真空度に減圧する真空ポンプ320と、真空処理室200内に収容した通気性トレー400上の茶葉を加温する遠赤ヒーター500と、真空処理室200内に不活性ガスを供給する不活性ガス供給装置600を備え、茶葉を収容した通気性トレー400を収容した真空処理室200内を真空ポンプ320により低真空度に減圧し、通気性トレー400上の茶葉を遠赤ヒーター500により加温しながら、茶葉に含まれる水分を一定時間蒸発処理し、その後不活性ガス供給装置600により低真空度下の真空処理室200内に不活性ガスを供給して、蒸発処理後の茶葉に不活性ガスを吸収および封入処理する。【選択図】図1
