• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.284-291
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• 1988

To establish the evaluation method of Korean green tea, the correlation between physicochemical characteristics and sensory scores by the expert panels were investigated using 15 kinds of green tea manufactured in 1985 from Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Tannin, caffeine and total free amino acid contents of Korean green tea are higher than foreign ones, but the chlorophyll content is the highest in Japanese high grade green tea. Sixteen free amino acids including theanine were identified, and theanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and arginine contents which affect the brothy taste of green tea infusion were highest in Korean green tea. Sensory score for the color of Korean green tea infusion were lower than Japanese tea, but the flavor and taste were the best. In multiple regression analysis, the quality affecting factors of the green tea were elucidated as the caffeine$(X_1)$, chlorophyll b$(X_2)$, total free amino acid contents$(X_3)$, and L value$(X_4)$ of green tea infusion. The regression equation was expressed as $Y=-21.5820+2.1691X_1+0.0130X_2+0.2314X_3-0.0001X_4$ and then $R^2$ was 0.8919.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 2006

These studies were carried out to investigate the quality of green tea processed by different pan-firing hand rolling and to select the best conditions during the procedure of green tea processing the results were as follows. At harvestion tea plant leaf, tea plants had 4 leaves. each leaf size was 7.5 cm'$\square$2.6 cm, and weight of 100 buds 46.6 g. The increase of pan-fired time decreased in the moisture content and yield of green tea. After processing green tea, 5 times pan-fired one had much more contents of total nitrogen (T-N:5.31%), caffeine (2.00%) and total amino acid (T.A.A. : 3,046 mg%) and less content of tannin (13.41%) than the other treatments. but 3 times pan-fired one had the highest contents of vitamin C (204.3 mg%) and chlorophyll (365.0 mg%) among three kinds pan-firing method. Sixteen kinds of free amino acid including theanine as a good taste component of pan-fired green tea were isolated and measured by HPLC. Free amino acid (FAA) contents were in the range of $2,683{\sim}2,925$ mg% and among various pan-firing methods, 5 tims pan-fired one had the highest content of F.A.A. Among these free amino acids, theanine occupied as much as $56.4{\sim}61.3%$ of F.A.A. Lightness, yellowness and redness of 5 times pan-fired green tea were middle value among three different treatments. Besides, it gained the highest score of sensory evaluation among them. These above results suggested that 5 times pan-fired green tea was considered to be the best level as pan-firing times of green tea processing.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.381-386
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• 2002

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of split-application of slow-release fertilizer on the tea plant. The yield of the 1st harvested tea leaves had increased 12% in the slow-release fertilizer(two time split manuring) compared with the traditional manuring(four time split manuring), but that of the slow-release fertilizer to one time split manuring had decreased $6{\pm}3%$. In case of the 1st harvested leave, the contents of chemical components related to quality such as total nitrogen, total amino acid, chlorophyll, vitamin C and theanine were somewhat higher in the leaves of slow-release fertilizer(two time split manuring) treatment than in the traditional manuring, but that of tannin was low. The one time split manuring of slow-release fertilizer had a contrary tendency with two time split manuring treatment. In scoring test, appearance and quality of green tea were more excellent in the two time split manuring compared with one time split manuring of slow-release fertilizer and with the traditional manuring (four time split manuring). Therefore, use of slow-release fertilizer increased yield and quality of tea leaves, and decreased loss of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 1999

These studies were carried out to investigate the quality of green tea processed by different 1st-pan-firing time and to select the best conditions of green tea processing. The results were as follows. At harvesting tea plant leaf, tea plants had 4 leaves, each leaf size was $6.4cm\;{\times}\;2.4cm$, and weight of 100 buds was 40.2g. The content of moisture of green tea was decreased with the prolongation of 1st-pan-firing time, and the yield of green tea at 10 min. pan-firing time was the highest value of 20.12%. After processing green tea, 1st 10 min. pan-fired one had much more contents of total nitrogen(TN 5.41%) and total amino acid(T.A.A; 3,282mg/100g) and less content of tannin(13.22%) and caffeine(1.64%) than the other treatments. The content of chlorophyll and vitamin C went down with the extension of 1st pan-firing period. Sixteen kinds of free amino acid including theanine as a good taste component of green tea were isolated and measured by HPLC. T.A.A contents were in the range of $2,447{\sim}3,192mg/100g$ and among various pan-firing methods, 10 min. 1st pan-fired one had the highest content of T.A.A. The taste-determinants such as theanine, aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid and arginine in green tea liquor, occupied as much as $89.4{\sim}90.0%$ of T.A.A.s. Among these, theanine was more than 50%, Lightness and yellowness of green tea were increased with delay of pan-firing time, while green color appeared to be more distinct at 10 min. 1st pan -firing time than other treatments. Besides, it gained the highest score of sensory evaluation among them. These above results suggested that 10 min. pan-fired green tea was considered to be the best level as pan-firing time of green tea processing.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.94-101
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• 2005

The present study was conducted to know the physicochemical properties of Korean tea according to degree of fermention. The moisture content of green tea, blue tea, yellow tea and black tea was 2.02∼2.04%. The content of total nitrogen was 3.78 % in green tea and 3.49∼4.03% in fermented tea. The content of the mineral was highest in Ca, Mg. The content of vitamin C was 670.62 mg in green tea and 169.7∼85.03 mg in fermented tea. The content of vitamin C were increased as tea was more fermented. The composition of vitamin E and β-carotene was green tea> blue tea> yellow tea> black tea. The content of the rutin was 0.12 % in green tea and 1.37% in black tea. The content of rutin was increased with fermentation. The content of total amino acid of green tea was 2270.9 mg. The content of main amino acid of Glu, Asp, and Leu was 342.01 mg, 165.32 mg, and 161.69 mg and the hightst content of Glu. The content of total amino acid of black tea was 2,219.08 mg. Total amino acid content of fermented tea increased in the order of black tea> blue tea> yellow tea, and among the tea, the content of black tea was the highest in the fermented tea. The content of caffeine was 1.17% in green tea and 1.05∼1.32% fermented tea. These results were nothing in the content of caffeine during the fermentation. The content of theanine was 0.95% in green tea and 0.73∼1.42% in fermented tea. The content of total catechin was highest in green tea, and decreased sharply as tea was more fermented. Flavonoid content of 1.05% in green tea. DPPH radical scavenge activities of the teas 4.73∼19.5% mg.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.238-245
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• 1998

The reasonable level of nitrogen fertilizer is a key factor to reduce environmental contamination as well as to increase crop yield and quality. The treatments are $N=42kg\;10a^{-1}$, $N=48kg\;10a^{-1}$, $N=54kg\;10a^{-1}$. $N=60kg\;10a^{-1}$. $N=72kg\;10a^{-1}$ and $N=150kg\;10a^{-1}$. Analytical results of yield and quality of tea leaves harvested the second time are summarized as follows: The soil of experimental field was higher in organic matter($49.9g\;kg^{-1}$) and available phosphate($937mg\;kg^{-1}$) compared to the general field but lower in pH(5.07) compared to the general field. When the amount of nitrogen fertilizer application was raised, the yield of tea leaves, the content of nitrogen, total free amino acids, caffeine and chlorophyll increased: however, the yield of tea leaves increased to excessive levels. On the other hand, the increased level of nitrogen fertilizer did not show any difference in the contents of vitamin C and tannin. Eleven kinds of amino acids were isolated from second harvested leaves of tea where the content of theanine occupied over 50%, and content of $665{\sim}763mg\;100g^{-1}$. The contents of fatty acids and catechin did not show correlation with application level of nitrogen fertilizer. The content of fatty acid was produced $1,742{\sim}2,643mg\;100g^{-1}$, and content of catechin was produced 12.47~13.54%. In scoring test, $N=60kg\;10a^{-1}$ treatment was 0.5~6.0 point higher compared to other treatments. Consequently, $N=60kg\;10a^{-1}$ is considered to be the best level of nitrogen fertilizer in terms of decreased environmental contamination as well as to increase crop yield and quality.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.377-382
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• 1998

This study was carried out to measure the contents of moisture, crude ash, crude fat, total amino acid, with amino acid composition, vitamin C, ${\beta}-carotene$, vitamin E, total catechins, EGCG, EGC, ECG, EC, GA, caffeine, theobromine and theophylline of the green tea I, II, III, oolong, and black tea. The content of crude fat of green tea I, II, III, oolong, and black teas was 1.1, 2.5, 4.9, 0.8 and 1.2% respectively, total amino acid content was 0.87, 0.78, 0.60, 0.63 and 1.05% respectively, and theanine content was 0.52, 0.48, 0.31, 0.41 and 0.61%, respectively. Total amino acid content of green tea increased in the order of green tea I> green tea II> green tea III, and among the teas, the content of theanine was the highest in the amino acids present. The content of vitamin C of green teal, II, III, oolong, and black tea was 101.6, 87.5, 95.9, 99.1 and 108.0 mg%, respectively, ${\beta}-carotene$ content was 270, 268, 481, 80 and 181 ppm, respectively. Among the ${\alpha}-,\;{\beta}-,\;{\gamma}-\;and\;{\delta}-tocopherol$, the content of ${\alpha}-tocopherol$ was the highest in vitamin E present, and ${\beta}-\;and\;{\delta}-tocopherol$ were not detected in the samples of green teal, II, III, oolong, and black teas. The total catechins of green teal, II, III, oolong, and black teas was 10.5, 10.4, 7.2, 8.4 and 1.8% respectively, and among them, EGCG content was the highest. The content of EGC increased in the order of green tea I > green tea III > green tea II > oolong tea> black tea. The contents EGCG and ECG increased in the order of oolong tea> green tea I > green tea II> green tea III> black tea, and the highest contents of EGCG and ECG were observed in the samples of oolong tea. The content of GA was 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.13 and 0.31%, respectively, and the highest contents of GA, caffeine and theobromine were observed in the sample of black tea. The highest content of theophylline, however, was observed in the sample of green tea I.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2010

This study was conducted to compare the physicochemical properties of powdered green teas produced in Korea and Japan including particle size, color, chlorophyll, caffeine and theanine. The average particle size of Korean powered green tea ($14.63-25.39\;{\mu}m$) was similar to that of Japanese powdered green tea ($15.46-21.02\;{\mu}m$). The surface color of shade-cultivated Haenam Green Tea (HN-1) had the highest negative 'a' value, which represents 'green' color. When the TCD (total color difference value) was measured in the samples, HN-1 was most similar to the premium powdered green tea of Japan (JA-1). Domestic shade-cultivated powdered green teas had 1.5-2 times greater chlorophyll content than powdered green teas produced from plants that were not cultivated in the shade. The presence of chlorophyll a resulted in a higher intensity of green color than the presence of chlorophyll b. A significant negative correlation was also observed between the color and the chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll contents. Specifically, chlorophyll a had the greatest impact on the green color of powdered green tea. The content of catechins, caffeine and theanine in Korean powdered green teas ranged from 14.679-20.128, 1.496-3.237 and 0.926-1.977 g/100 g, respectively. The caffeine and theanine contents were high in shade-cultivated powdered green teas. Based on the above results, domestic powdered green teas cultivated under shaded conditions had a quality similar to that of medium-quality green teas produced in Japan, and the overall quality of Korean powdered green tea was poorer than that of Japanese powdered green tea.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.288-296
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• 1996

The effect of shading on the mineral components, free amino acid, and fatty acid content of tea shoot was examined under different shading conditions. The results are summarized as follows. The content of Total-Nitrogen and theanine in the tea leaves was the highest in the 95% shading as 5.49% and 15580 mg/kg, respectively, while they were the lowest in the unshading. The contents of total free acid were ranged from 24670 to 30210 mg/kg, showing higher content in the 95% shading than that in the unshading. The contents of ammonium nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium were higher in the all treatments of shading than that of unshading but vise versa in calcium content. The content of total fatty acid was the highest in the 55% + 95% shading as 27990 mg/kg, while that of unshading was the lowest as 24356 mg/kg showing the increasing order of $C_{18:3}$, $C_{18:2}$, $C_{18:0}$, $C_{18:1}$, $C_{18:0}$. The quality of tea leaves was improved with the treatment of shading compared to that of unshading showing the best in the 95% shading.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.419-424
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of a variety of commonly consumed commercial green tea. Green tea samples with the same commercial name produced at different regions were analyzed. High-grade tea samples showed higher values of lightness (L) and greenness (-a). Additionally, compared to other varieties of teas, high-grade tea samples showed higher levels of catechin, gallocatechin gallate (GCg), epicatechin gallate (ECg), theanine, and methylxanthines and a lower level of epigallocatechin (EGC). The antioxidant activity of green tea was also investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical assays. High-grade teas were observed to have higher antioxidant activities. The results of this study indicate that the catechin content, such as EGCg, GCg, and ECg levels, was found to positively influence the total antioxidant activity of green tea.