Welcome to Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin,

Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2021, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (13): 115-121.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2020-0327

Special Issue: 园艺

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Suitability Evaluation and Taste Characteristics of Yuhua Tea Processed by Different Tea Varieties

Ai Zeyi1(), Mu Bing1, Li Song2, Tang Jun1, Wan Qing1, Li Ronglin1, Yang Yiyang1()   

  1. 1Institute of Leisure Agriculture, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Nanjing 210014
    2Nanjing Agricultural Technology Extension Station, Nanjing 210014
  • Received:2020-08-05 Revised:2021-02-27 Online:2021-05-05 Published:2021-05-18
  • Contact: Yang Yiyang E-mail:147009774@qq.com;yangyiyang_yyy@126.com

Abstract:

The paper aims to identify and screen suitable varieties or resources for Yuhua tea, so as to provide technical support for the introduction of superior varieties of tea plants and the improvement of the quality of Yuhua tea. Agronomic traits including amino acids, tea polyphenols, water extract, caffeine, phenol-ammonia ratio, appearance, liquor color, aroma, taste and leaf bottom of six main tea varieties in Nanjing were compared. The suitability evaluation and taste characteristics of tea varieties for Yuhua tea were studied by biochemical analysis and sensory evaluation. Sensory evaluation results show that ‘Longjing 43’ has the highest score of aroma, taste and liquor color, and the total quality score is in the order of ‘Longjing 43’> ‘Suchazao’> ‘Yingshuang’> ‘Zhenong 117’/‘Xicha 5’> ‘Wuniuzao’. The analysis of quality components show that different tea varieties have little effect on the content of water extractable substances and caffeine in Yuhua tea, but great effect on the composition of amino acids, catechins and the contents of tea polyphenols and gallic acid. The total amount of tea polyphenols in ‘Longjing 43’ is significantly higher than that of the other five varieties, and its content of gallic acid (GA), catechin (C), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), ester catechins and total catechins also rank the highest. The taste characteristics of Yuhua tea are mainly determined by catechins with bitter taste. Neither L-theanine nor L-glutamic acid, the two umami amino acids in tea soup, could reach the umami threshold, while concentration of GA is much higher than the threshold (0.034 mg/mL). It is supposed that GA is one of the key factors for the umami taste in Yuhua tea. In addition, ‘Longjing 43’ with the highest content of tea polyphenols also shows the strongest DPPH free radical scavenging activity, and its IC50 is only 26.65 μg/mL, showing a strong antioxidant activity. In conclusion, ‘Longjing 43’ has certain advantages for processing Yuhua tea, and the study could provide technical reference for the introduction of superior varieties of tea plants and the improvement of the quality of Yuhua tea.

Key words: tea variety, Yuhua tea, suitability evaluation, taste substances, antioxidant activity

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