Abstract: Hair colourant formulations fall into three main categories designated permanent, semi-permanent and temporary. Permanent hair colourant formulations are oxidative dye systems and generally contain paraphenylene diamine (PPD) and resorcinol, both of which have been shown to cause sensitisation and mutagenicity. Furthermore, severe oxidising conditions are required which in themselves cause skin irritation and sensitization as well as hair fibre damage. The inventive composition addresses the aforementioned disadvantages by providing a hair colour composition comprising: (a) Gossypetin; and either (b1) A combination of a peroxidase with either a hydrogen peroxide generator or hydrogen peroxide, or (b2) a laccase; wherein the composition has a pH of 4.5 to 7.0, preferably less than or equal to 6.0.

Abstract: Hair colourant formulations fall into three main categories designated permanent, semi-permanent and temporary. Permanent hair colourant formulations are oxidative dye systems and generally contain paraphenylene diamine (PPD) and resorcinol, both of which have been shown to cause sensitisation and mutagenicity. Furthermore, severe oxidising conditions are required which in themselves cause skin irritation and sensitization as well as hair fibre damage. The inventive method addresses the aforementioned disadvantages by providing a method of colouring hair fibres, the method comprising the step of applying a hair colour composition, the hair colour composition comprising: (a) (+)-Catechin, (?)-catechin, (+)-epicatechin, (?)-epicatechin or mixtures thereof; (b) A hydrogen peroxide generator or hydrogen peroxide; and (c) A peroxidase and; wherein the composition has a pH of 4.5 to 7.0, preferably less than or equal to 6.0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for extraction of theaflavins from tea including the step of contacting tea with an aqueous solution of urea.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a black leaf tea that is infusible in hot or cold water. The process involves macerating freshly plucked tea leaves, allowing them to ferment, firing the leaves to arrest fermentation and then drying them to yield black leaf tea, wherein the tea leaves are treated with a solubilising compound selected ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid, 1-scorbamic acid, 5-phenyl-3,4-diketo-gamma-butyrolactone (4-phenyl-2,3-diketo-gamma-butyrolactone) or their salts and mixtures thereof in an amount that is sufficient for the black leaf tea to be soluble in water at 5 to 100° C.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a black leaf tea that is infusible in hot or cold water. The process involves macerating freshly plucked tea leaves, allowing them to ferment, firing the leaves to arrest fermentation and then drying them to yield black leaf tea, wherein the tea leaves are treated with a solubilising compound selected ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid, 1-scorbamic acid, 5-phenyl-3,4-diketo-gamma-butyrolactone (4-phenyl-2,3-diketo-gamma-butyrolactone) or their salts and mixtures thereof in an amount that is sufficient for the black leaf tea to be soluble in water at 5 to 100° C.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a black leaf tea that is infusible in hot or cold water. The process involves macerating freshly plucked tea leaves, allowing them to ferment, firing the leaves to arrest fermentation and then drying them to yield black leaf tea, wherein the tea leaves are treated with a solubilising compound selected ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid, 1-scorbamic acid, 5-phenyl-3,4-diketo-gamma-butyrolactone (4-phenyl-2,3-diketo-gamma-butyrolactone) or their salts and mixtures thereof in an amount that is sufficient for the black leaf tea to be soluble in water at 5 to 100° C.