The flavors of tea vary depending on various factors, among which the taste of tea is greatly determined by the elution rate of each component contained in tea leaves. This study analyzed the infusion characteristics of Japanese green tea such as ‘Yabukita’, ‘Fusun’, ‘Okumidori’, and ‘Benifuki’. The brewing water temperature was 20, 40, 60, 80, or 100°C, and the brewing time consisted of one and two minutes. The elution rate of amino acids increased from 22.7-76.6% and 4.0-81.8% in theanine as the brewing water temperature and time were increased. The elution rates for polyphenols, catechins, and caffeine were 4.5-74.8%, 4.9-70.4%n, and 3.5-80.1%, respectively. The result indicated that the elution of components increased as brewing water temperature and time increased from 20 to 100°C and from one to two minutes, respectively. Amino acids were eluted at a slightly higher rate even at low temperatures, whereas polyphenols, and catechins were well eluted at temperatures above 80°C. These results suggest that each component related to the taste of tea has different elution characteristics. In addition, the elution conditions can be adjusted to achieve the favorite taste of tea.
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