Effects of Different Fixation Methods on Color, Aroma, and Chemical Composition of Lonicerae japonicae Flos Tea

Lonicerae japonicae flos (LJF) is a natural product with medicinal, edible, and ornamental value which has been developed into LJF tea. At present, LJF tea can be processed using four main fixation methods: fixation by sun drying (SG), hot-air oven drying (HG), stir-frying drying (CZ), and steaming (ZZ). However, a comparative analysis of the effects of different fixation methods on the quality of LJF tea has not been reported. This study comprehensively investigated the effects of these fixation methods on the appearance color, volatile components, and non-volatile components of LJF tea samples. Our findings demonstrated that LJF tea in the SG group had the highest L value, causing a brighter appearance, which was mainly caused by the retention of organic acids and flavonoids. Additionally, LJF tea in the SG group had a higher content of aroma components than other groups. These results suggested that sun drying may be beneficial for improving the quality of LJF tea. This study provided a reference for the selection of fixation methods for LJF tea and offered a clue for quality improvement of LJF tea.