Organic cultivation on the Yungui plateau improves green tea flavor while reducing heavy metal accumulation

Organic (ORG) and conventional (CON) teas are produced under distinct cultivation systems that may influence tea quality and safety. However, comparative studies focusing on plateau regions remain limited. In this study, tea samples from the same cultivar cultivated under ORG and CON systems in the Yungui Plateau were comparatively analyzed in terms of physicochemical properties, heavy metal contents, and volatile profiles. Compared with CON green tea, the contents of tea polyphenols, catechin, and quercetin in ORG green tea increased by 6.95%, 75.9%, and 11.9%, respectively, whereas the contents of free amino acids and theanine decreased. The concentrations of cadmium, lead, and chromium were 52.9%-96.8% lower in ORG tea. Compared with CON tea, ORG green tea exhibited 71.9% and 171% higher fruity and woody aroma intensities, respectively, whereas the intensity of the grassy note decreased by 93.8%. Overall, organic cultivation significantly improved the flavor quality and safety of plateau green tea.