Chemical Analysis / Biological Functions of Tea

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 1560

Special Issue Editors

Tea Research Institute, College of Agriculture & Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Interests: tea chemistry and development of functional components; construction and application of tea-based micro- and nanocarriers; tea processing and quality evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Tea Research Institute, College of Agriculture & Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Interests: tea functional research; plant biochemistry; tea processing and quality evaluation; flavor biochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world and has been used for centuries for its biological functions. The biological functions of tea have been attributed to its abundant active components, which include tea polyphenol, caffeine, theanine, among others. Despite much excellent chemical and biological exploration, unexploited potentials of tea compounds still exist. The large number and variety of tea compounds as well as their secondary metabolites need further exploration. Chemical analysis, especially the advancement of high-precision analysis techniques and modern data analysis methods, has provided new tools for qualitative and quantitative analysis of tea compounds. These components have been found to not only exhibit various biological functions in animals, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular protective effects, but also act on the growth and development of plants, such as providing defense against pests and diseases, growth regulation, and stress tolerance. Moreover, the various effects of tea components on microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses have also been reported. Intensive research of tea components and their biological functions will potentially contribute to their wider and more efficient use in the fields of biologic, medical, and environmental industries.

This Special Issue aims to provide recent findings on the chemical analysis, biological functions, and action mechanisms and applications of tea components. Both original research and review articles are welcome.

Dr. Qiang Chu
Dr. Ping Chen
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • tea
  • chemical analysis
  • biological functions
  • action mechanisms
  • applications of tea components

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 2680 KiB  
Article
Decoding the Chemical Signatures and Sensory Profiles of Enshi Yulu: Insights from Diverse Tea Cultivars
by Yating Guo, Yili Shen, Boya Hu, Huichun Ye, Haowei Guo, Qiang Chu and Ping Chen
Plants 2023, 12(21), 3707; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213707 - 27 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1201
Abstract
Enshi Yulu, a renowned Chinese steamed green tea, is highly valued for its unique sensory attributes. To enhance our comprehensive understanding of the metabolic variation induced by steaming fixation, we investigated the overall chemical profiles and organoleptic quality of Enshi Yulu from different [...] Read more.
Enshi Yulu, a renowned Chinese steamed green tea, is highly valued for its unique sensory attributes. To enhance our comprehensive understanding of the metabolic variation induced by steaming fixation, we investigated the overall chemical profiles and organoleptic quality of Enshi Yulu from different tea cultivars (Longjing 43, Xiapu Chunbolv, and Zhongcha 108). The relationships between sensory traits and non-volatiles/volatiles were evaluated. A total of 58 volatiles and 18 non-volatiles were identified as characteristic compounds for discriminating among the three tea cultivars, and the majority were correlated with sensory attributes. The “mellow” taste was associated with L-aspartic acid, L-asparagine, L-tyrosine, L-valine, EGC, EC, and ECG, while gallic acid and theobromine contributed to the “astringent” taste. “Kokumi” contributors were identified as L-methionine, L-lysine, and GCG. Enshi Yulu displayed a “pure” and “clean and refreshing” aroma associated with similar volatiles like benzyl alcohol, δ-cadinene, and muurolol. The composition of volatile compounds related to the “chestnut” flavor was complex, including aromatic heterocycles, acids, ketones, terpenes, and terpene derivatives. The key contributors to the “fresh” flavor were identified as linalool oxides. This study provides valuable insights into the sensory-related chemical profiles of Enshi Yulu, offering essential information for flavor and quality identification of Enshi Yulu. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Analysis / Biological Functions of Tea)
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