Effect of shaking and piling processing on improving the aroma quality of green tea

Aroma plays a crucial role in the quality of pure green tea beverage. However, there are limited methods to improve their aroma. In this study, green tea produced using shaking and piling process (SPGT) demonstrated a notable improvement in aromatic intensity, particularly in floral, fruity, and sweet notes. A total of 58 volatile compounds were detected, with SPGT exhibiting the highest concentration of aroma compounds among the tested green teas. Eight key aroma compounds were selected based on a relative odor activity value (ROAV) greater than 1 in SPGT: dimethyl sulfide (71.14, cooked corn-like), 2-methylbutanal (3.17, cereal), octanal (1.31, fruity), linalool (5.25, floral), nonanal (5.00, floral), (E)-2-nonenal (2.81, cucumber), decanal (22.90, fruity), and β-ionone (60.51, floral). The concentration of aroma compounds, especially for floral and fruity key volatile compounds significantly increased during the shaking and piling process (p < 0.05), and their formation pathways help explained these changes. Our results provided a new theoretical foundation and practical guidelines for producing the high-aroma green tea.