Bubble Tea

Bubble tea, also internationally known as the Pearl Milk Tea or Boba, is a drink based on sweetened green or black tea, which is often mixed with milk and fruit syrup and cooked like a milkshake. The special feature of this drink that is drunk with a straw, is to added colored beads of tapioca, or other starch, and the Popping Boba, beads of alginate with a liquid filling, which burst when bitten.

History and distribution

Bubble Tea was the mid-1980s in the Republic of China ( Taiwan) invented, at least two teahouses claim the honor for themselves. The original foam drink still contained no tapioca pearls, but only fruit syrup or puree and was sold by street vendors, especially to school children. Some time later, the Tapiokakugeln were added. It supposed to have become popular only after a report by the Japanese television about the drink. In the 1990s, Bubble Tea has become a trendy drink in Asia and in California, where the trend across the United States spread. In Asia, the United States and Australia, there are tea house chains that exclusively sell bubble tea in different variants. There are now also in Germany and Austria Bubble Tea. In the inner cities, the number of bubble tea cafes rose to 2012 strongly. Concept and interiors are very similar, the latter is often decorated in orange and green. In part they are operated as franchises.

It is very popular in Taiwan and China, and Southeast Asia, but now also in the United States and Australia. 2009 bubble tea was first offered in Germany. 2010 was followed by stores in Austria and 2012 shops in Switzerland. 2012 also sold McDonald 's Bubble Tea in its stores in Germany and Austria.

Etymology

The term bubble tea (literally: (air) bladder tea, correct: Bläschentee or pearl ) is the English translation of a Chinese word that is commonly used for a particular type of preparation by tea drinks, in which various ingredients such as tea, sugar Milk and ice are mixed in the form of a shake, resulting in forming on the surface of the beverage foam. There are black or green Schaumtee. The drink, which is now referred outside Taiwan and China as a bubble tea is, in Chinese actually " pearl milk tea " (Chinese珍珠 奶茶, Pinyin Zhen nǎichá ) due to the added beads. Bubble Tea has thus originally nothing to do with these balls and is not, as is sometimes believed with their gum -like consistency. In Asia, the beads also called boba ( pearls ).

Flavors

Meanwhile, there are the drink in numerous flavors in Taiwan are added often sweetened condensed milk and honey. The traditional Tapiokakugeln be cooked for about 25 minutes, until they have a gum -like consistency. Since the strength is distasteful, the finished beads are immersed in a sugar solution. You will then be sucked through a straw. In newer versions of Bubble Popping Boba Tea are added, jelly beads of alginate ( seaweed starch) with a filling of flavored sugar syrup.

Health aspects

Bubble Tea is criticized by nutritionists because of its high sugar content, which corresponds approximately to soft drinks. According to Stiftung Warentest contained various bubble tea drinks about the same amount of sugar and caffeine as the soft drink cola. Furthermore, it was found in all tested products azo dyes and artificial flavors in each extent permitted. The caloric content of bubble tea is different depending on the preparation. Pediatricians warn that young children could choke on the diameter 5 to 8 mm small beads and suffocate and request appropriate warnings on the cups.

Scientists from the Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen alleged against journalists of the Rheinische Post in 2012 to have found in bubble tea harmful cancer-causing chemicals. A corresponding article led to broad media coverage in Germany. The Ministry of Consumer Protection of North Rhine -Westphalia was then examine 84 samples. All were free of toxins. The brand manufacturer Possmei and Tea One gave analyzes in independent institutes in order, where also no toxins were found.

Responsible for the analysis of the Aachen Institute scientist Manfred Möller, who had been quoted in the media as saying in Bubble Tea located is " a lot of dirt", claimed in 2013 that never had been made statements about a possible health hazard, and it is the analysis have been only a test of a new instrument. He regretted the media reports, which are tantamount to a " smear campaign ". However, affected business owners see the scientists who had informed on his own the press about her measurement result, the responsibility and claim damages.