Metabolic insights into the enhanced umami and sweetness of small-leaf yellow tea from albino cultivars

IF 8.2 1区农林科学 Q1 CHEMISTRY, APPLIED

Food Chemistry: X Pub Date : 2025-09-24 DOI:10.1016/j.fochx.2025.103074

Faxin Li , Silin Zheng , Houman Shi , Lizhong Tang , Jinlin Bian , Jiliang Zhang , Xiao Du , Yueling Zhao

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Abstract

Albino cultivars are well suited for producing small-leaf yellow tea because of their unique leaf colour and taste. This study aimed to uncover the chemical basis for the fresh sweet taste and low bitterness/astringency of albino cultivars through metabolomics. We identified 20 core taste compounds, namely 13 flavonoids, 5 amino acids (AAs), and 2 catechins. Compared with the control ‘Fudingdabaicha’, ‘Naibai’ contained a higher number of umami AAs (theanine: 45.84 mg/g; glutamic acid: 10.27 mg/g) and lower catechin levels. Quantitative descriptive analysis showed that albino cultivars exhibited stronger umami and sweetness but reduced bitterness and astringency, suggesting that umami compounds can mitigate the perception of bitterness and astringency. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis indicated that AAs are associated with umami taste, whereas flavonoids, catechins, and caffeine influence bitterness and astringency. These findings support the conclusion that the combination of elevated AA levels and reduced catechin levels is the primary driver of the fresh sweet taste of albino cultivars.

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白化品种小叶黄茶增强鲜味和甜度的代谢研究

白化病品种由于其独特的叶色和口感，非常适合生产小叶黄茶。本研究旨在通过代谢组学方法揭示白化病品种鲜甜、低苦/涩味的化学基础。我们鉴定出20种核心味道化合物，即13种黄酮类化合物、5种氨基酸和2种儿茶素。与对照‘福定大白茶’相比，‘耐白’鲜味氨基酸含量较高（茶氨酸：45.84 mg/g，谷氨酸：10.27 mg/g），儿茶素含量较低。定量描述分析表明，白化品种的鲜味和甜味较强，苦味和涩味较弱，说明鲜味化合物可以减轻苦味和涩味的感觉。加权基因共表达网络分析表明，果酸与鲜味有关，而黄酮类化合物、儿茶素和咖啡因影响苦味和涩味。这些发现支持了AA水平升高和儿茶素水平降低的结合是白化品种新鲜甜味的主要驱动因素的结论。

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来源期刊

Food Chemistry: X CHEMISTRY, APPLIED-

CiteScore

4.90

自引率

6.60%

发文量

315

审稿时长

55 days

期刊介绍： Food Chemistry: X, one of three Open Access companion journals to Food Chemistry, follows the same aims, scope, and peer-review process. It focuses on papers advancing food and biochemistry or analytical methods, prioritizing research novelty. Manuscript evaluation considers novelty, scientific rigor, field advancement, and reader interest. Excluded are studies on food molecular sciences or disease cure/prevention. Topics include food component chemistry, bioactives, processing effects, additives, contaminants, and analytical methods. The journal welcome Analytical Papers addressing food microbiology, sensory aspects, and more, emphasizing new methods with robust validation and applicability to diverse foods or regions.