Relationship between green tea research and analytical chemistry

Abstract

The relationship between green tea research and analytical chemistry is discribed based on an example of our studies. For a quantitative evaluation of green tea, a sensory test is still mainly being used. However, an instrumental evaluation using analytical equipments, for example HPLC and capillary electrophoresis, has been developing. Especially, a near-infrared analysis (NIR) method has been practically and widely used concerning the distribution routes of green tea. FT-IR micro spectrometry, an ion meter and improved HPLC methods were used for analyses of unfavorable substances in green tea, which were a white powdery substance found on stored Tencha (Matcha is made of Tencha by grinding with a stone mortar), Na+ added as sodium glutamate to make tea tastier, NH4+ added as ammonium bicarbonate to keep tea leaves green, and pheophorbide a, respectively.