Abstract
Tea (Camelia sinensis L.) is one of the main beverages known and consumed all around the world. Quality of tea is not only linked to the raw material but also to the processing steps that influence on the biochemical and sensory characteristics of each type of tea. This overview is focused on the differences in the production and composition of the main types of teas present in the market, highlighting not only their chemical and sensory characteristics, but also the importance of this plant from the food science viewpoint related to its several applications.
Highlights
Tea (Camelia sinensis L.) is a native plant from the East and South Asia considered for medicinal purposes and for consumption as a beverage
According to the technological process and the level of oxidation, under specific temperature and relative humidity, tea can be classified into three main types: nonfermented, semi-fermented and fully fermented [1]
The so-called fermentation in some types of tea is the oxidation performed by the enzyme Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO), which catalyzes the oxidation of fresh tea polyphenols, especially catechins, into o-quinones, which are polymerized into theaflavins and thearubigins
Summary
Tea (Camelia sinensis L.) is a native plant from the East and South Asia considered for medicinal purposes and for consumption as a beverage. The so-called fermentation in some types of tea is the oxidation performed by the enzyme Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO), which catalyzes the oxidation of fresh tea polyphenols, especially catechins, into o-quinones, which are polymerized into theaflavins and thearubigins. These compounds appear to be the major products of the preliminary oxidation reactions [2], while the produced theabrownins may be derived by the non-enzymatic browning reaction ( named as Maillard reaction) [3 - 5]. The importance of tea from the food science viewpoint regarding its applications as a natural additive is mentioned
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