Investigation of Tea Chemistry
Name:
Renee Jalbert
Major: Biology
Hometown: Belvidere, Illinois
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Independent research
Funding: Carthage College Undergraduate Research Grant
Abstract
Tea
is the second most consumed beverage in the world. Most teas are produced from
a single plant, Camellia sinensis; the variations in smell and taste result
in great part from the different manufacturing (fermentation and roasting)
processes used to create the final product. The type of tea produced (black,
green, white, oolong, and puer) depends on the amount of fermentation
(oxidation) allowed to occur and resulting differences in chemical composition.
The chemicals within the tea leaves produce the varying tastes and smells that
appeal to our senses. Flavor compounds include a variety of catechins, as well
as methylxanthine alkaloids, that also have well-known physiological effects.
Aroma compounds include volatile molecules stemming from non-volatile
precursors in the leaves that undergo a series of enzymatic or non-enzymatic
oxidation reactions. This project aims to analyze the concentration of
theaflavins, catechins, and methylxanthines in teas using high performance
liquid chromatography to establish whether there is an association between the
different chemical concentrations and fermentation methods. Volatile tea compounds
are also determined through headspace analysis via gas chromatography coupled
with mass spectrometry in multiple oolong cultivars to expand the understanding
of the relationship between different types of tea leaves and their aroma
profiles.
Poster file