국내 시판 첫물차의 이화학적 분석과 관능평가 연관성

Association between Physicochemical Evaluation and Sensory Test of Commercial First Harvested Green Tea in Korea

Tea is one of the most famous beverages that is recognized worldwide and contains a range of functional materials, such as catechin, theanine, and caffeine. Commercial green tea, which is first harvested from tea trees, have an endemic taste and aroma because the cultivate locations have different cultivars, harvest seasons, and environments that affect the unique palatability. In this study, a physicochemical evaluation and sensory test of commercial first harvested green teas was performed and their association was examined. Twenty-three samples were collected in a domestic market and a physicochemical evaluation was performed using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The sensory test was performed by a professional group and ordinary group according to the contest of Korean tea standards. Theanine and catechin, two of the major compounds in tea, were higher in the Jejudo and Jeonrado samples, respectively. The leaf condition and tea color of the sensory test could be used to help discriminate among samples, but not the taste and aroma assessment. Therefore, the association between physicochemical and sensory test appears to be a low and a modified standard of assessment is suggested to determine the good quality of commercial first harvested green tea.