Effects of natural spring water on the sensory attributes and physicochemical properties of tea infusions

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 419; p. 136079
• Main Authors: Deng, Sihan, Cao, Qing-Qing, Zhu, Yan, Wang, Fang, Chen, Jian-Xin, Zhang, Hao, Granato, Daniel, Liu, Xiaohui, Yin, Jun-Feng, Xu, Yong-Quan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2023
• Subjects: Antioxidants - chemistry; Auto-oxidation; Camellia sinensis - chemistry; Catechin - chemistry; Darkening mechanism; Natural spring water; Natural Springs - chemistry; Oxidation-Reduction; Sensory attributes; Tea - chemistry; TDS; (−)-Catechin gallate (PubChem CID: 6419835); TBs; Natural spring water; (−)-Epicatechin (PubChem CID: 72276); (−)-Epigallocatechin (PubChem CID: 72277); PW; (+)-Catechin (PubChem CID: 1203); (−)-Epigallocatechin gallate (PubChem CID: 65064); Auto-oxidation; Darkening mechanism; NSW; (−)-Epicatechin gallate (PubChem CID: 367141); Sensory attributes; (+)-Gallocatechin (PubChem CID: 9882981); (+)-Gallocatechin gallate (PubChem CID: 199472)
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136079

•NSW with low pH/TDS was more suitable for brewing GT and less fermented tea.•Green tea was most susceptible to brewing water.•High pH/TDS NSW were darker in color, less palatable and degradation of catechins.•TB was the key factor that turned the darkening of tea infusions.•TB was negatively correlated with epicatechins, especially ECG and EC. The sensory quality of tea is influenced by water quality, with natural spring water (NSW) gaining much attention for its natural and healthy qualities. The effects of NSW on the sensory attributes, physicochemical composition, and antioxidant capacity of Chinese tea were investigated. Tea brewed with pure water was the most resistant to oxidation and darkening. NSW with low total dissolved solids (TDS) was most suitable for brewing unfermented or mildly fermented teas, improving their sensory quality. The simulated green tea infusion system was used to investigate further the dramatic darkening of tea infusions in NSW. Exposure of infusions to air promoted the degradation, epimerization, and oxidative polymerization of catechins, and further formed theabrownins which darkened the tea infusions. These findings enabled tea consumers to choose the most suitable NSW for brewing Chinese teas and illustrated the darkening mechanism of tea infusion in high pH/TDS water.