Phytochemicals and Quality of Green and Black Teas from Different Clones of Tea Plant

Abstract

Tea is a popular drink with refreshing and functional properties. Bud, 1 st leaf, and 2 nd leaf of five varieties of tea clones (Gumti Takda-78, Ambari, Chiniya, and Tinali, which are popular in tea plantation area of Nepal) were collected and used for preparing green and orthodox black tea to study antioxidant activity, phytochemicals profile, chemical content, and sensory parameters. One or two leaves were hand-plucked from each bush to get a sample of about 100 leaves and processed for green and orthodox black tea for different clones of tea plants. Phytochemicals, antioxidant activity, and caffeine content were found higher in bud followed by 1 st leaf and 2 nd leaf for all clones of tea plants. Both types of tea (green and black) from Gumti were significantly (p < 0.05) higher having tannin content, flavonoid content, total polyphenol content, caffeine content, and IC 50 value of 49.15 and 36.23 (mg GAE/g dry extract), 358.9 and 350.4 (mg QE/g dry extract), 590.5 and 570 (mg GAE/g dry extract), 2.85 and 2.94%, and 45.15 & 51.88 μg/mL, respectively. Green and orthodox tea from Takda-78 was found higher in caffeine content and the least in Tinali for both types of tea. Moisture, water extract, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, and crude fiber content in tea (green and black) from Gumti were found to be 5.4% & 5.37%, 65.89% & 71.46%, 5.524% & 6.52%, 0.46% & 0.57%, and 7.96% & 10.27%, respectively.