PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for producing a microorganism-controlled fermented tea having improved safety and enriched taste and flavor, and a production apparatus for the tea.SOLUTION: The method for producing the microorganism-controlled fermented tea includes: housing a tray filled with tea leaves into a pressure vessel performing thermal sterilization of the tea leaves in the pressure vessel by introducing pressurized steam generated outside of the pressure vessel into the vessel and heating the inside of the pressure vessel to ≥100°C and fermenting the tea leaves by inoculating the leaves with microbes belonging to genus Aspergillus or Eurotium and fermenting tea leaves to produce 4-ethenyl-1,2-dimethoxybenzene, aceto-eugenol or isoeugenol, thereby producing fully fermented tea leaves containing 4-ethenyl-1,2-dimethoxybenzene, aceto-eugenol or isoeugenol, wherein a roof lid to prevent the wetting of the tea leaves with water droplets formed by condensation of steam in the pressure vessel is placed above a plurality of trays filled with tea leaves and stacked one upon another.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】 微生物制御発酵茶の製造方法において、より安全性が高く、味や香りを高めることができる微生物制御発酵茶の製造方法及び製造装置を提供する。【解決手段】 茶葉を詰めたトレイを圧力容器内に収容し、圧力容器外で発生させた有圧の水蒸気を圧力容器内に導入して圧力容器内を100℃以上に加熱する圧力容器を用いて茶葉の加熱殺菌を行い、その後にアスペルギルス属又はユーロチウム属に属し茶葉を発酵させて4-エテニル-1、2-ジメトキシベンゼン、アセトオイゲノール、又はイソオイゲノールを産生する微生物を茶葉に植菌して発酵させ、4-エテニル-1,2-ジメトキシベンゼン、アセトオイゲノール、又はイソオイゲノール含有の後発酵茶葉を産生させる微生物制御発酵茶の製造方法において、前記圧力容器内で水蒸気が結露した水滴が茶葉にかかるのを防止する屋根蓋を、茶葉を詰めて積み重ねた複数のトレイの上部に設ける。【選択図】 図2-1
