Changes of Organic Acids, Polyphenols, Pigments and Fiber Concentration with a Different Stalk Position and Grade of Korean Flue-cured Leaf Tobacco

This study was carried out to analyze the organic acids, polyphenols, pigments and fiber materials concentration with a different stalk position and grade of korean leaf tobaccos. Eight kinds of flue-cured leaf tobaccos which were different stalk position and grade were used for this study. Three kinds of major organic acids(citric, malic and oxalic), 2 kinds of polyphenols(chlorogenic acid and rutin), 3 kinds of pigments($\beta$-carotene, chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b), and 2 kinds of fiber components(pectin and lignin) were analyzed. All of these chemical components were changed with a different stalk position. When the citric acid, malic acid, $\beta-carotene$, chlorophyll-a, and lignin concentration were low in the middle stalk position and high in both bottom and upper position, oxalic acid and chlorogenic acid show the highest concentration in the middle stalk position. All of these chemical components also changed with a different grade of leaf tobaccos. As the citric acid, malic acid, $\beta-carotene$, chlorophyll-b, and lignin concentration decreased as the grade ascended, the oxalic acid and chlorogenic acid concentration increased as the grade ascended. This results assumed that the quality of korean leaf tobacco was directly proportional to oxalic acid and chlorogenic acid concentration but it was inversely proportional to citric acid, malic acid, $\beta-carotene$, chlorophyll-b and lignin concentration.