Characteristic Aroma of Sencha Produced in the Mountainous Area

Abstract

The odorants contributing to the characteristic aroma of sencha produced in the mountainous area have been investigated by using an aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) of the volatile fractions isolated from the sencha infusion by comparing that produced at the flat land. Principal component analysis of the flavor dilution factors of all the detected odorants in the AEDA has revealed that furaneol, (Z)-methyl jasmonate, indole and vanillin were the characteristic odorants of the sencha produced in the mountainous area. Since these odorants were also included in the infusion of sencha produced at the flat land, the characteristic aroma of sencha produced in the mountainous area would be affected by the odorants compositions. The experimental result in this study have been obtained by using limited samples. It would be necessary to analyze more samples, to clarify the aroma of sencha produced in the mountainous area.