Volatile components and nutritional qualities of Viscum articulatum Burm.f. parasitic on ancient tea trees

• Published in: Food science & nutrition Vol. 7; no. 9; pp. 3017 - 3029
• Main Authors: Wang, Qiushuang, Chen, Dong, Zhang, Qianwen, Qin, Dandan, Jiang, Xiaohui, Li, Hongjian, Fang, Kaixing, Cao, Junxi, Wu, Hualing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, Massachusetts John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.09.2019; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Alcohol; Alcoholic beverages; Alcohols; Aldehydes; Amino acids; aroma; Aroma compounds; Benzaldehyde; Caffeine; Carbohydrates; Catechin; Dietary fiber; Flavor compounds; Flow velocity; Flowers; Gas chromatography; Headspace; Identification methods; Ionone; Ketones; Linalool; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Methods; Nutrients; Nutrition; Odor; Odors; Original Research; Polyphenols; Principal components analysis; Quality; Research centers; Salicylic acid; Science; Sensory evaluation; Sensory perception; Solid phase methods; Tea; Trace levels; Trees; Viscum; Viscum articulatum Burm.f; Volatile compounds; China
• ISSN: 2048-7177; 2048-7177
• DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.1159

Volatile flavor compounds (VFCs) and nutrients in Viscum articulatum Burm.f. parasitic on ancient tea trees (named TM) were studied in this research by headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME)/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and conventional methods. Sixty‐six volatile compounds belonging to different classes were identified by GC–MS. The ketones, alcohols, and aldehydes were the principal aroma groups in TM according to principle component analysis (PCA). The most abundant aroma components in TM included benzaldehyde (9.64%), geranylacetone (7.92%), epoxy‐β‐ionone (7.71%), β‐linalool (7.35%), methyl salicylate (6.96%), and hotrienol (6.14%), significantly higher than CKs (p < .05). The positive PC1 and PC2 in TM were correlated with benzaldehyde, hotrienol, methyl salicylate, and geranylacetone. The mistletoes could be differentiated from CKs due to the difference in aroma compounds. Clean and fresh, woody and nutty odor with minor floral scent was the characteristics of TM. Analysis of the nutritional components showed that contents of polyphenols and catechins in TM were at trace levels, significantly lower than CKs (p < .05). The total contents of polyphenols, amino acids, carbohydrates, and caffeine in TM were significantly lower from the total soluble solids (p < .05), indicating that there were still lots of compounds undetected in TM. The sensory test showed that the taste and aroma in TM can be accepted, which indicates TM could be developed into alternative tea drinks in the future. This research studied the VFCs and nutrients in tea mistletoes. The VFCs were significant different from tea aromas as well as the nutritional qualities. This study sheds light on tea mistletoe and provides a scientific foundation for its further utilization.