Chemical and Quality Analysis of Beauty Tea Processed from Fresh Leaves of Tieguanyin Variety with Different Puncturing Degrees

Beauty tea with special flavor can be affected by the degree of leafhopper puncturing. The present research adopted widely targeted metabolomics to analyze the characteristic metabolites of fresh tea leaves and beauty tea with different degrees of leafhopper puncturing. Low-puncturing beauty tea (LPBT) exhibited a superior quality. Altogether, 95 and 65 differential metabolites, including tea polyphenols, saccharides, and lipids, were identified from fresh leaves and beauty tea, respectively. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis results showed that isomaltulose, theaflavic acid, and ellagic acid, may be the characteristic metabolites that form the different taste outlines of beauty tea. Based on odor activity values (OAVs) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), dihydrolinalool and cis-linalool oxide were identified as characteristic volatile components, which may be essential for the formation of the different aroma characteristic of beauty tea. The results provide a theoretical basis for selecting raw materials, performing quality research, and developing beauty tea industrially.

Automated summary

The flavor of beauty tea can be influenced by the degree of leafhopper puncturing. This study analyzed the metabolites of fresh tea leaves and beauty tea with different degrees of puncturing. Low-puncturing beauty tea showed higher quality. Various differential metabolites, including tea polyphenols, saccharides, and lipids, were identified. Isomaltulose, theaflavic acid, and ellagic acid were found to be characteristic metabolites contributing to the different taste outlines of beauty tea. Additionally, dihydrolinalool and cis-linalool oxide were identified as characteristic volatile components responsible for the different aroma of beauty tea. These findings provide a theoretical basis for raw material selection, quality research, and industrial development of beauty tea.