Taste characteristics and symbolic metabolites of Rougui tea with different grades in China

作者：Jianghua Ye, Yangxin Luo, Yuhua Wang, Yulin Wang, Tingting Wang, Yankun Liao, Jun-Xu Gu, Xiaoli Jia, Qi Zhang, Haibin Wang · 发表于：Food Chemistry X · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.fochx.2025.102405 · 被引用次数：4 · 研究领域：Tea Polyphenols and Effects、Fermentation and Sensory Analysis、Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities

The national tea standard sample is an important reference for the evaluation of tea grades. Clarifying the taste characteristics of different grades of Rougui tea (RGT) and its characteristic metabolites is of great significance for the standardization and scientificization of national standard samples. In this study, metabolites of different grades of RGT were analyzed by sensory evaluation and metabolomics, and symbolic metabolites were obtained and verified. The results showed that the higher the RGT grade, the stronger the mellowness and fresh and brisk taste, and the weaker the bitterness and astringency. Cyclo-glycyl- L -phenylalanine and calyxanthone can be used as the main symbolic metabolites to evaluate the quality of RGT, and their contents in 15 different grades of RGT verified the conclusion. This study lays an important foundation for the production of national tea standards and the measurement of commercial tea quality. • There are significant differences in metabolites between different RGT grades. • The higher the RGT grade, the stronger the mellowness, freshness and brisk taste. • The higher the RGT grade, the weaker the bitterness and astringency. • There are 15 symbolic metabolisms that distinguish different RGT grades. • Cyclo-glycyl- L -phenylalanine and calyxanthone are the main symbolic metabolites for RGT.