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Enhancement flavor quality in Zhao'an Baxian oolong tea through enhanced turning-over process.

Abstract

A systematical investigation on the effects of turning-over intensity on the flavor formation of Zhao'an Baxian oolong tea (ZBT) was performed, through a comparative analysis of heavy turning-over (HT) and light turning-over (LT) treatments in this study. The tea samples were subjected to proteomic and metabolomic analyses, combined with quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and electronic sensory (E-tongue/E-nose) evaluation. The results demonstrate that HT significantly reduced the content of bitter and astringent compounds, such as catechins and flavonol glycosides, while promoting the accumulation of umami-related amino acids. Concurrently, HT enhanced the biosynthesis of key floral and fruity volatiles, such as β-ocimene, geraniol, benzaldehyde, jasmone by activating stress-responsive metabolic pathways. These coordinated biochemical changes, driven by enzyme-catalyzed reactions in response to prolonged mechanical wounding and environmental stress, collectively improved the overall sensory profile of ZBT. These findings provide a mechanistic foundation for improving ZBT production, with clear implications for quality control and flavor-oriented product development.

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Yunfei Hu, Wenya Liu, Ronghua Huang, Xinyu Zeng, Jing Huang, Qiuru Zhang, Zhilong Hao, Yue Zhang, Liangyu Wu. 2026-07-18. Enhancement flavor quality in Zhao'an Baxian oolong tea through enhanced turning-over process.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2026.120078

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