• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.20-23
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the content and composition of tea catechins at different plucking time and different position of tea leaves. The bud and first leaf, second leaf, third leaf, and fourth leaf were collected on May, July, and August. The catechin content was highest in leaves picked on August among those collected from different months. When compared with the different part of tea leaves, the bud and the first tea leaf contained the highest catechin, and the fourth left contained the lowest catechin. Analysis of catechin composition in the tea leaves, showed that epigallocatechin gallate was the highest, and the other contents were following order: epicatechin gallate, epicatechin, epigallocatechin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.87-92
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• 1998

Major characteristics of shrinking and rehydration of Korean tea-leaves were investigated in the hot-air drying equipment. Experiments were performed with various drying temperature, plucking time, heating method and rolling condition. The values of shrinking raito and rate were the highest at 7$0^{\circ}C$ in the range of 3$0^{\circ}C$ to 9$0^{\circ}C$. The 1st tea-leaves and showed higher values. Shrinking ratio was 16.62 and 19.62% for leaves and stems; shrinking rate was found 0.083 and 0.091cm/hr.cm, respectively. The rehydration characteristics of tea-leaves at the drying temperature of 3$0^{\circ}C$ were fairly satisfactory. The 2nd tea-leaves showed higher value than others, while the natural tea-leaves were lower. Average rehydration ratio and rehydration rate constant were 85.7% and 0.063/min for leaves; 80.1% and 0.032/min for stems, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.246-254
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• 2007

Fresh tea leaves grown in Jeju Island and Jeonnam Province of South Korea were plucked and processed. Volatile compounds (VCs) were analyzed and identified with SPME-GC/GC-MS/GC-O. The VCs of green teas were classified into two major categories based on their aroma characteristics: the Greenish (Group I), and Floral (Group II) odorants. It was found that the VCs were decreased significantly in fresh tea leaves as they were plucked at the later stages of cultivation. The ratio of VCs responsible for Group I and Group II compounds was well-balanced in tea leaves plucked in May, but the balances were changed when the fresh leaves were processed. The major VCs of fresh tea leaves in Jeju and Jeonnam were n-hexanal, E-2-hexenal, Z-3-hexenal, myrcene, benzyl alcohol, linalool, and phenyl alcohol. Also, Jeju and Jeonnam tea leaves had different aroma composition. n-Heptanol, ${\beta}-pinene$, benzaldehyde, and ethyl salicylate were found in Jeju fresh tea leaves, and Z-3-hexenol, E-2-hexenol, and methyl n-heptanoate were detected in Jeju dry tea leaves. On the other hand, Z-linalool oxide and myrcene were found in Jeonnam dry tea leaves. The SPME-GC method showed high reproducibility (RSD, 7.4%) with no-artifact formation. In this study, optimum plucking period of tea leaves could be determined for production of high quality green tea with a well-balanced aroma and characteristic VCs in green tea according to growing areas.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.365-372
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• 2016

Purpose: Tea is the most frequently consumed drink worldwide, next to water. About 75% of the total world tea production includes black tea, and withering is one of the major processing steps critical for the quality of black tea. There are two types of tea withering methods: physical and chemical withering. Withering can be achieved by using tat, tunnel, drum, and trough withering systems. Of these, the trough withering system is the most commonly used. This study focuses on the different types of withering, their effect on the various quality attributes of tea, and other aspects of withering methods that affect superior quality tea. Results: During physical withering, tea shoots loose moisture content that drops from approximately 70-80% to 60-70% (wet basis). This leads to increased sap concentration in tea leaf cells, and turgid leaves become flaccid. It also prevents tea shoots from damage during maceration or rolling. During chemical withering, complex chemical compounds break down into simpler ones volatile flavor compounds, amino acids, and simple sugars are formed. Withering increases enzymatic activities as well as the concentration of caffeine. Research indicates that about 15% of chlorophyll degradation occurs during withering. It is also reported that during withering lipids break down into simpler compounds and catechin levels decrease. Improper withering can cause adverse effects on subsequent manufacturing operations, such as maceration, rolling, fermentation, drying, and tea storage. Conclusion: Freshly harvested leaves are conditioned physically and chemically for subsequent processing. There is no specified withering duration, but 14-18 h is generally considered the optimum period. Proper and even withering of tea shoots greatly depends on the standards of plucking, handling, transportation, environmental conditions, time, and temperature. Thus, to ensure consumption of high quality tea, the withering step must be monitored carefully.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2003

Lipoxygenase is the enzyme responsible for the formation of $C_6$-alcohols and $C_6$-aldehydes ($C_6$-compounds), which are well blown contributors to various types of 'green odor' In green tea. Changes in lipoxygenase activity and volatile compounds of green tea leaves were monitored daily during early growing season. The enzyme activity was spectrophotometrically measured using linoleic acid as a substrate. The volatile compounds were extracted through Solid Phase Micro-Extraction, and were subjected to GC and GC-MS analyses. Results showed that lipoxygenase activity and levels of $C_6$-compounds concomitantly increased or decreased during the early growing season, probably caused by the fluctuation in the daily temperature; increase in temperature led to the increase in enzyme activities and $C_6$-compound levels, whereas leaves plucked too early had low volatile compound levels. In this study, optimum plucking time of tea leaves for the production of high quality green tea with a wellbalanced aroma was determined.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2001

The contents of chemical components such as total nitrogen, total amino acid and vitamin C were somewhat higher in $N_2$ gas treatment at $10^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours than those of other treatments. However, the contents of tannin and chlorophyll were slightly lower than that in the other treatments. The content of ${\gamma}-Aminobutyric$ acid with $N_2$ gas treatment was higher $1.5{\sim}6$ times with values of $51{\sim}205mg/100g$ than in control (35mg/100g). The scores of sensory test was not different between $N_2$ gas treatment for 3 hours and control. The contents of chemical components such as total nitrogen, total amino acid including theanine and caffeine were slightly higher in $N_2$ gas treatment at $20^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours than those of other treatments. However, the contents of tannin and vitamin C were slightly lower than those of other treatment. The content of GABA in tea leaves treated with $N_2$ gas was higher $2.5{\sim}7$ times with values of $85{\sim}225mg/100g$ than in control (35mg/100g). The sensory test was lower in $N_2$ gas treatment($76.3{\sim}78.1$ point) than in control(80.4 point). The contents of chemical components were not different between $N_2$ gas treatment at $30^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours and control. Whereas the contents of chemical components were somewhat lower in $N_2$ gas treatment for 1 hour and 5 hours than in control. The content of GABA in tea leaves treated with $N_2$ gas was higher $3{\sim}7$ times with values of $115{\sim}217mg/100g $than in control(35mg/100g). The sensory test was lower in $N_2$ gas treatment ($74.3{\sim}78.4$ point) than in control(80.4 point). Consequently, tea mading within 5 time $N_2$ gas treatment at $10^{\circ}C$ or 3 time $N_2$ gas treatment at 20, $30^{\circ}C$ after plucking was considered to be the best green tea in terms of functional nature as well as taste nature.