PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of producing tea extract which has a subtle top feeling, and an excellent aroma or taste even after manufactured as a tea drink, has high strength, and is excellent in a flavor.SOLUTION: A recovered solution 10 is obtained by significantly collecting an aroma gas component with the subtle top, which has not been able to be collected in a conventional collection method, by causing the aroma gas emitted by steam distillation to contact water drops. The tea extract can be obtained by adding the recovered solution to an extracted solution 13 of distillate residues on which the steam distillation is performed.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】茶飲料として製造された後でも、軽いトップ感のある優れた香りや風味を有し、しかも高力価でかつ香味の優れた茶エキスの製造方法を提供する。【解決手段】水蒸気蒸留において排気される香気ガスを、水滴に接触させることによって、従来の回収方法では得られなかった軽いトップの香気ガス成分を有意に捕集して回収液10を得、この回収液を、水蒸気蒸留した留出残渣の抽出液13に加えることによって茶エキスを得ることができる。【選択図】図1
