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Organic Acid Analysis in Green Tea Leaves Using High-performance Liquid Chromatography
1National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, National Food Research Institute.
Journal of Oleo Science
|August 14, 2022
Summary
Green tea contains significant amounts of quinic acid, a compound whose levels are influenced by tea variety, maturity, and cultivation. Optimizing plucking time can enhance green tea quality and quinic acid content.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Chemistry
- Food Science
- Plant Biochemistry
Background:
- Green tea is valued for bioactive compounds, but organic acid profiles, especially quinic acid, are understudied.
- Chromatographic techniques enable detailed chemical analysis of green tea leaves.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the content and variations of organic acids, particularly quinic acid, in different green tea varieties.
- To understand how factors like maturity, cultivation, and environmental conditions affect organic acid composition.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of organic acid content in various green tea samples using advanced chromatographic methods.
- Comparative study of quinic, oxalic, malic, succinic, and citric acids across different tea varieties and conditions.
Main Results:
- Quinic and oxalic acids were abundant in all varieties; Kukicha had the most quinic acid, Matcha the least.
- Quinic acid increased with maturity, while other organic acids decreased after an initial rise.
- Shading cultivation reduced quinic acid but increased malic, citric, and oxalic acids in Saeakari.
Conclusions:
- Green tea is a notable source of quinic acid, warranting further functional research.
- Plucking time and cultivation methods significantly impact organic acid profiles, offering avenues for quality improvement.
