Assessment of Proximate Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Different Commercially Packaged Tea Samples in West Bengal

Abstract

Background: Worldwide tea consumption as beverage ranks next to water. The high consumption of tea is attributed to richness in flavor, aroma, antioxidant properties and health benefits. Tea has complex chemical composition having catechins, flavonoids, alkaloids, carotenoids, chlorophyll, amino acids, polysaccharides, lipids, vitamins, minerals and more than 600 different volatile compounds. Methods: The present study focuses on determining the physicochemical parameters, phyto-chemical assay and microbiological qualities of commercially packaged green and black tea samples within West Bengal following standard methods. Result: The values of proximate parameters like moisture, ash, acid insoluble ash and water extractive have complied with standard specifications. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis quantified significantly higher polyphenol content of green tea in compare to black tea samples respectively with 65.12 ppm and 18.58 ppm with gallic acid equivalence and green tea epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) content was found 449.28 ppm with respect to pure EGCG standard. In vitro antioxidant activity of green tea and black tea extracts as reported by IC50 value were found to be 192.97-301.08 μg/ml and 342.54-481.91 μg/ml respectively.