Enhancement Effect of Lemon Flower on the Flavor Quality of White Tea and Its Formation Mechanism

Wang, Jun; Hu, Yiwen; Hu, Deyu; Lu, Zhihong; Xiang, Li; Xiang, Jinsong; Hong, Min; Ling, Lili; Ma, Yanyan

doi:10.3390/foods15030596

Open AccessArticle

Enhancement Effect of Lemon Flower on the Flavor Quality of White Tea and Its Formation Mechanism

by

Jun Wang

^1,2,†,

Yiwen Hu

^1,†,

Deyu Hu

³,

Zhihong Lu

^1,2,

Li Xiang

⁴,

Jinsong Xiang

⁵,

Min Hong

^1,2,

Lili Ling

^1,2 and

Yanyan Ma

^1,2,*

¹

Citrus Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing 400712, China

²

National Citrus Engineering Research Center, Chongqing 400712, China

³

Chongqing Wanzhou Economic Crops Development Center, Chongqing 404000, China

⁴

Fengjie Navel Orange Industry Development Center, Chongqing 404600, China

⁵

Fengjie Navel Orange Research Institute, Chongqing 404600, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Foods 2026, 15(3), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030596

Submission received: 3 January 2026 / Revised: 30 January 2026 / Accepted: 4 February 2026 / Published: 6 February 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Production, Quality, Flavor Characteristics and Health Benefits of Tea: 2nd Edition)

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Abstract

This study involved developing a novel lemon flower-scented white tea (LT) through multiple aroma-imparting cycles, and taking an integrated approach to investigating its flavour formation mechanism. Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis revealed that the LT exhibited more balanced taste characteristics, with significantly reduced bitterness and astringency, attributed to the decreased caffeine content and conversion of esterified catechins. Electronic nose and HS-SPME/GC-MS results confirmed that the LT had acquired a distinctive aroma characterised by floral and citrus notes, primarily originating from lemon flower volatiles such as methyl anthranilate and limonene. Multivariate statistical analysis identified 32 key differential compounds (variable importance in projection value > 1), with methyl anthranilate, β-ionone, and geraniol (relative odour activity value > 80) jointly forming the shared flavour base among teas. These findings demonstrate that lemon flower infusion can effectively enhance the sensory quality of white tea and provide theoretical support for the development of diverse floral teas.

Keywords: white tea; lemon flower; flavor formation; taste compounds

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MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, J.; Hu, Y.; Hu, D.; Lu, Z.; Xiang, L.; Xiang, J.; Hong, M.; Ling, L.; Ma, Y. Enhancement Effect of Lemon Flower on the Flavor Quality of White Tea and Its Formation Mechanism. Foods 2026, 15, 596. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030596

AMA Style

Wang J, Hu Y, Hu D, Lu Z, Xiang L, Xiang J, Hong M, Ling L, Ma Y. Enhancement Effect of Lemon Flower on the Flavor Quality of White Tea and Its Formation Mechanism. Foods. 2026; 15(3):596. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030596

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Jun, Yiwen Hu, Deyu Hu, Zhihong Lu, Li Xiang, Jinsong Xiang, Min Hong, Lili Ling, and Yanyan Ma. 2026. "Enhancement Effect of Lemon Flower on the Flavor Quality of White Tea and Its Formation Mechanism" Foods 15, no. 3: 596. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030596

APA Style

Wang, J., Hu, Y., Hu, D., Lu, Z., Xiang, L., Xiang, J., Hong, M., Ling, L., & Ma, Y. (2026). Enhancement Effect of Lemon Flower on the Flavor Quality of White Tea and Its Formation Mechanism. Foods, 15(3), 596. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030596

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Enhancement Effect of Lemon Flower on the Flavor Quality of White Tea and Its Formation Mechanism

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