Revealing the effects of withering methods and withering time on the active components of mulberry leaf tea using...

In this study, color difference analysis, headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection were employed to systematically evaluate the effects of three withering methods-natural withering, sunlight withering (SW), and warm-air withering (WW)-as well as different withering durations (1-4 h), on the active components and appearance quality of mulberry leaf tea. The results demonstrated that, compared with other withering treatments, WW induced more pronounced changes in color, resulted in a higher tea polyphenols content, and more effectively preserved non-volatile compounds. In contrast, SW was associated with a higher total flavonoid content. Based on multivariate statistical analysis, five key aroma-active volatiles were identified as major contributors to the aroma profile. Furthermore, molecular docking was used to explore their interactions with human olfactory receptors. This study systematically revealed the effects of withering methods and durations on the chemical composition and appearance quality of mulberry leaf tea, thereby providing a solid theoretical foundation and technical support for the development of related tea products.