A tien-cha extract essence characterized in being obtained by subjecting a tien-cha extract to an activated carbon treatment, and a method for manufacturing a fermented food item using the tien-cha extract essence provide a technique that facilitates manufacture and pulverization, it being possible to apply the technique as a replacement for a tien-cha essence obtained by electrodialysis of the tien-cha extract, which presents a variety of problems； and the technique producing the unprecedented effect of boosting the growth of bifidobacterium bacteria with no effect on flavor while maintaining the effects of the tien-cha extract of increasing the growth of lactic acid bacteria and the viability of bifidobacterium bacteria, etc.
