Tea and Its By-Products: The Traditional and Future Drinks from Cultivation to the Cup—Volume II

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (24 February 2024) | Viewed by 5304

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: tea biology; tea quality evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tea is a famous healthy drink worldwide. It is produced using the tender shoots of Camellia sinensis. There are many factors influencing the taste and flavor of tea, such as varieties, cultivation and management techniques, environment factors, and processing technology. These factors not only affect the yield of tea but also determine its flavor because of their distinct biochemical components. In terms of tea varieties, in addition to leaf size, shape, and textures, some novel varieties with white, yellow, and purple leaves have been found and cultivated. Furthermore, many tea varieties with strong stress resistance against a poor environment have been discovered. In terms of cultivation and management techniques, many methods have been applied, such as shading, pruning, fertilization, pest and disease prevention, etc. In terms of environment factors, the weather environment of the natural region and the microclimate of a tea garden contribute to the growth and quality of tea plants together. In terms of processing technology, tea includes green, yellow, white, black, oolong, and dark tea based on the fermentation degree of tea leaves. These types of tea not only have a different taste but also possess different functions with regard to human health.

The present issue on “Tea and Its By-Products: The Traditional and Future Drinks from Cultivation to the Cup” aims to publish studies focused on the following areas: tea breeding, cultivation and management techniques, processing technology, quality assessment, and health benefits. The following topics are welcome:

  • Tea biology;
  • Tea microbiology;
  • Enzyme dynamics during tea processing;
  • Novel processing technology;
  • Tea chemistry, biochemistry, and properties;
  • Quality assessment and criteria;
  • Health benefits and clinical effects of tea and its extract.

Prof. Dr. Xinghui Li
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • tea variety and breeding
  • tea cultivation
  • tea physiology
  • tea biochemistry
  • tea molecular function
  • tea manufacturing
  • tea quality assessment
  • health benefits

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 737 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Influence of Origin, Harvest Time, and Cultivation Method on Antioxidant Capacity and Bioactive Compounds of Matcha Teas
by Karolina Jakubczyk, Kinga Szymczykowska, Joanna Kika, Katarzyna Janda-Milczarek, Joanna Palma, Klaudia Melkis, Rami Alshekh and Dominika Maciejewska-Markiewicz
Foods 2024, 13(8), 1270; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13081270 - 21 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1683
Abstract
Matcha, or powdered green tea, has been gaining popularity and is no longer consumed only in the form of infusions, finding new uses in gastronomy and the food industry. The range of teas available on the food market has expanded considerably; hence, the [...] Read more.
Matcha, or powdered green tea, has been gaining popularity and is no longer consumed only in the form of infusions, finding new uses in gastronomy and the food industry. The range of teas available on the food market has expanded considerably; hence, the aim of this study was to determine, for the first time, the antioxidant capacity and contents of antioxidant compounds in various Matcha teas available on the Polish market, taking into account the country of origin, time of harvest, and conventional vs. organic cultivation. Eleven green-tea powders were used in the analyses performed using spectrophotometric methods (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, Ferric-Ion-Reducing Antioxidant Power, Total Polyphenol Content, Total Flavonoid Content, Vitamin C Content) and HPLC methods (polyphenolic acids, flavonoids, and caffeine). Antioxidant capacity ranged from 7.26 to 9.54 mM Trolox equivalent/L while reducing power ranged from 1845.45 to 2266.12 Fe(II)/L. Total phenolic content amounted to 820.73–1017.83 mg gallic acid equivalent/L, and total flavonoid content was 864.71–1034.40 mg rutin equivalent /L. A high vitamin C content was found, ranging from 38.92 to 70.15 mg/100 mL. Additionally, a high content of caffeine that ranged between 823.23 and 7313.22 mg/L was noted. Moreover, a high content of polyphenolic compounds, including epicatechin gallate, myricetin, gallic acid, and 4—hydroxybenzoic acid, was found. The phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties depended on the harvest time, type of cultivation, and country of origin. Therefore, Matcha tea infusions have been shown to be a valuable source of antioxidants that can be used in the daily diet. Full article
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14 pages, 12756 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Volatile and Nonvolatile Metabolites in Black Tea under Four Second-Drying Methods Using Widely Targeted Metabolomics
by Tianmeng Lan, Qingbin Zeng, Lin Chen, Zheng Tu, Yang Ye, Yueyun Liu and Weizhong He
Foods 2024, 13(1), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13010144 - 31 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1399
Abstract
Second-drying has an impact on the development of flavor and aroma in black tea. However, the effect of the shape changes of the tea leaves during second-drying on the quality of black tea has yet to be evaluated. In this study, GC-TOFMS and [...] Read more.
Second-drying has an impact on the development of flavor and aroma in black tea. However, the effect of the shape changes of the tea leaves during second-drying on the quality of black tea has yet to be evaluated. In this study, GC-TOFMS and UPLC-HRMS identified 411 volatile metabolites and 253 nonvolatile metabolites. Additionally, 107 nonvolatile compounds and 21 different volatiles were screened. Significant alterations (p < 0.01) were found in 18 amino acid derivatives, 17 carbohydrates, 20 catechins, 19 flavonoids, 13 phenolic acids, and 4 organic acids. The content of certain amino acids and carbohydrates correlated with the shape of black tea. Furthermore, sweet aroma compound formation was facilitated by hot-air second-drying while the remaining second-drying approaches encouraged the formation of the fruity aroma compound. The results of the study provide a theoretical basis and technical instructions for the accurate and precise processing of premium black tea. Full article
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13 pages, 2756 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Photosynthetic Characteristics and Metabolomics on the Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Tea Seeds
by Li Jiang, Shujing Liu, Xinrong Hu, Duojiao Li, Le Chen, Xiaoxing Weng, Zhaisheng Zheng, Xuan Chen, Jing Zhuang, Xinghui Li, Zhengdao Chen and Mingan Yuan
Foods 2023, 12(20), 3821; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12203821 - 18 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1870
Abstract
The synthesis of tea fatty acids plays a crucial role in determining the oil content of tea seeds and selecting tea tree varieties suitable for harvesting both leaves and fruits. However, there is limited research on fatty acid synthesis in tea trees, and [...] Read more.
The synthesis of tea fatty acids plays a crucial role in determining the oil content of tea seeds and selecting tea tree varieties suitable for harvesting both leaves and fruits. However, there is limited research on fatty acid synthesis in tea trees, and the precise mechanisms influencing tea seed oil content remain elusive. To reveal the fatty acid biosynthesis mechanism, we conducted a photosynthetic characteristic and targeted metabolomics analysis in comparison between Jincha 2 and Wuniuzao cultivars. Our findings revealed that Jincha 2 exhibited significantly higher net photosynthetic rates (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr) compared with Wuniuzao, indicating the superior photosynthetic capabilities of Jincha 2. Totally, we identified 94 metabolites with significant changes, including key hormone regulators such as gibberellin A1 (GA1) and indole 3-acetic acid (IAA). Additionally, linolenic acid, methyl dihydrojasmonate, and methylthiobutyric acid, precursors required for fatty acid synthesis, were significantly more abundant in Jincha 2 compared with Wuniuzao. In summary, our research suggests that photosynthetic rates and metabolites contribute to the increased yield, fatty acid synthesis, and oil content observed in Jincha 2 when compared with Wuniuzao. Full article
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