Flavor Constituents of Longjing Tea

Abstract

The flavor constituents of the highest quality Longjing tea parched on a pan while the leaves were turned over by hand were identified by GC-MS, and compared with those of Japanese kamairi-cha. Seventy-six components were characterized in Longjing tea. Nine compounds were newly identified related to tea aroma; six from both Longjing and Japanese kamairi-cha, two from Longjing only and one from Japanese kamairi-cha only. The amount of pyrazines, linalool oxides, carboxylic acids, lactones, geraniol, 2-phenylethanol and ionone compounds was larger, while the amount of cis-3-hexenol, cw-jasmone, nerolidol, indole and benzyl cyanide was much smaller in Longjing tea than in Japanese kamairi-cha. The former seven compounds seemed to contribute to its characteristically strong pan-fired aroma as well as its floral and sweet aroma. © 1983, Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry. All rights reserved.