Comparative Analysis of Flavonoids, Carotenoids, and Major Primary Compounds in Site-Specific Yellow-Leaf Tea and Their Dynamic Alterations During Processing.

ABSTRACT: Yellow-leaf tea cultivar 'Huangjinya' is valued for distinctive appearance and umami flavor, yet the mechanisms underlying pigment accumulation and flavor formation responding to cultivation and processing remain unclear. Targeted metabolomic quantified 16 carotenoids and 18 flavonoids, revealing significantly higher concentrations in high-altitude site fresh leaves (551.88 ± 7.09 μg·g^-1 and 213.91 ± 3.78 mg·g^-1, respectively), approximately 2.8-fold and 1.2-fold higher than in low-altitude site samples. These observed regional differences likely reflect environmental differences between the high- and low-altitude cultivation sites. Flavonoids remained relatively stable during green tea (GT) processing but declined markedly during black tea (BT) production. Carotenoid

SUBMITTER: Yang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12563805 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature