Application to cooking and characterization of tea flower pollen

Abstract

Tea flower pollen was applied as a food ingredient.
Of the amino acids, the proline content was particularly high, while there were high contents of fructose and sucrose. The catechin content was low, although it is normally present in tea leaves.
Tests on the application of the tea flower pollen as a food ingredient revealed promising results for sponge cakes and cookies by oven cooking. The results for doughnuts and tempura by frying were also promising, as were cup cakes and glutinous rice flour dumplings by steam cooking and boiling, respectively. The addition of tea flower pollen at the level of 2.5% increased the swelling volume of oven-cooked sponge cakes and bread.