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State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health...
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State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 March 2025) | Viewed by 6329

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Dejiang Ni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: tea; processing; quality analysis; function; metabolic analysis
Prof. Dr. Zhongwen Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, College of Tea and Food Sciences and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Interests: tea; quality chemistry, metabolomic analysis; health function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yuefei Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Tea Science, Zhejiang University Tea Research, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: tea; processing; function; metabolic analysis; biochemistry; health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There have recently been new discoveries in tea processing technologies, such as microwave, light wave, and far-infrared technology, which have been used to bleach and dry green tea in order to enhance the quality of the final tea product. The scale of mechanization in the tea industry has also increased steadily, and technologies for automatic and intelligent processing of tea have evolved, stabilizing the processing quality.

In addition to continuously revealing the chemical change mechanisms of tea processing and storage, novel tea activities have also been made apparent by the application of multi-omics (metabolome, transcriptome, and proteome) and other histone technologies.

This Special Issue focuses on new technologies of tea processing and their impacts on quality, the change in tea quality caused by tea varieties and the environment; separation, the structural identification and analysis of active substances in tea and the evaluation of tea’s health functions, seeking to demonstrate recent advancements in the research fields of tea processing, tea chemistry, and tea quality and health function.

This kind of research provides suggestions for future study directions in the fields of tea processing and tea chemistry, and also offers pathways for the use of new technologies in tea processing more broadly.

Potential subjects may cover, but are not limited to:

  • The processing of black tea, white tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, and green tea;
  • The processing of tea to produce raw ingredients for industry;
  • Tea substitute processing;
  • The utilization of new technologies in tea processing, such as microwaves and light waves;
  • Quality modification and control during tea processing;
  • Tea quality analysis;
  • The application of histone technologies and multi-omics (metabolome, transcriptome, proteome) in tea processing;
  • Tea processing and storage;
  • Isolation, identification, and activity analysis of bioactive compounds in tea;
  • Evaluation of tea’s health functions;
  • Rapid detection technologies and their impacts on product quality.

Prof. Dr. Dejiang Ni
Prof. Dr. Zhongwen Xie
Prof. Dr. Yuefei Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tea processing
  • tea chemistry
  • quality formation
  • bioactive compounds
  • health function

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 6480 KiB  
Article
CV-YOLOv10-AR-M: Foreign Object Detection in Pu-Erh Tea Based on Five-Fold Cross-Validation
by Wenxia Yuan, Chunhua Yang, Xinghua Wang, Qiaomei Wang, Lijiao Chen, Man Zou, Zongpei Fan, Miao Zhou and Baijuan Wang
Foods 2025, 14(10), 1680; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101680 - 9 May 2025
Viewed by 251
Abstract
To address the problem of detecting foreign bodies in Pu-erh tea, this study proposes an intelligent detection method based on an improved YOLOv10 network. By introducing the MPDIoU loss function, the YOLOv10 network is optimized to effectively enhance the positioning accuracy of the [...] Read more.
To address the problem of detecting foreign bodies in Pu-erh tea, this study proposes an intelligent detection method based on an improved YOLOv10 network. By introducing the MPDIoU loss function, the YOLOv10 network is optimized to effectively enhance the positioning accuracy of the model in complex background and improve detection of small target foreign objects. Using AssemFormer to optimize the structure, the network’s ability to perceive small target foreign objects and its ability to process global information are improved. By introducing the Rectangular Self-Calibrated Module, the prediction accuracy of the bounding box is effectively optimized, further improving the classification and target-positioning abilities of the model in complex scenes. The results showed that the Box, Cls, and Dfl loss functions of the CV-YOLOv10-AR-M network in the One-to-Many Head task were, respectively, 14.60%, 19.74%, and 20.15% lower than those of the YOLOv10 network. In the One-to-One Head task, they decreased by 10.42%, 29.11%, and 20.15%, respectively. Compared with the original YOLOv10 network, the accuracy, recall rate, and mAP of the CV-YOLOv10-AR-M network were increased by 5.35%, 11.72% and 8.32%, respectively. The CV-YOLOv10-AR-M network effectively improves the model’s attention to small sizes, complex backgrounds, and detailed information, providing effective technical support for intelligent quality control in the agricultural field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits)
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14 pages, 3268 KiB  
Article
Metabolite Analysis of Hangzhou Gongmei White Tea of Different Varieties
by Cun Ao, Xiaojun Niu, Haitao Huang, Jizhong Yu and Zhiqiang Cheng
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1622; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091622 - 4 May 2025
Viewed by 306
Abstract
To comprehensively understand the quality characteristics and key characteristic metabolites of Hangzhou Gongmei white tea (HGW), an integrated approach involving sensory evaluation, chemical composition analysis, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was employed to analyse the volatile and non-volatile metabolites [...] Read more.
To comprehensively understand the quality characteristics and key characteristic metabolites of Hangzhou Gongmei white tea (HGW), an integrated approach involving sensory evaluation, chemical composition analysis, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was employed to analyse the volatile and non-volatile metabolites of tea samples from different varieties. Compared to the Fudingdabai (FD) variety, the Jiukeng (JK) and Longjing (LJ) varieties exhibited more pronounced fruity or floral aromas and stronger taste profiles. The elevated concentrations of water extracts, tea polyphenols, and complex catechins in the tea infusion contributed to its increased astringency. A multivariate analysis revealed that linalool, geraniol, 2-ethylhexanol, hexanal, methyl salicylate, linalool oxide I, (E)-hex-2-en-1-al, β-myrcene, (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol, phenylethanol, benzaldehyde, (E)-citral, nonanal, and trans-β-ionone were the primary differential volatile metabolites in HGW. The non-volatile metabolomic analyses showed that flavonoids were the main differential metabolites in HGW from different varieties. The abundance levels of the differential non-volatile metabolites were higher in JK and LJ compared to those in FD. This study provides theoretical support for the breeding and quality improvement of Hangzhou white tea, as well as the development of flowery and fruity flavoured white tea products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits)
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29 pages, 16724 KiB  
Article
Chemical, Sensory Variations in Black Teas from Six Tea Cultivars in Jingshan, China
by Rui Wu, Huiling Liang, Nan Hu, Jiajia Lu, Chunfang Li and Desong Tang
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1558; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091558 - 29 Apr 2025
Viewed by 336
Abstract
The development of black tea quality is the outcome of the synergistic interaction between tea cultivars and the ecological environment of the production area, including factors such as climate, soil, and cultivation practices. Nevertheless, within a specific geographical region, systematic analysis of the [...] Read more.
The development of black tea quality is the outcome of the synergistic interaction between tea cultivars and the ecological environment of the production area, including factors such as climate, soil, and cultivation practices. Nevertheless, within a specific geographical region, systematic analysis of the environmental regulation mechanisms governing processing adaptability and quality formation among different cultivars remains insufficient. This study evaluated six Camellia sinensis cultivars from the Jingshan region of Hangzhou, China, integrating non-targeted metabolomics, sensory profiling, bioassays, and molecular docking to elucidate cultivar-specific quality attributes. Non-volatile metabolomics identified 84 metabolites linked to color and taste, including amino acids, catechins, flavonoid glycosides, and phenolic acids. Sensory and metabolite correlations revealed that amino acids enhanced brightness and imparted fresh-sweet flavors, while catechins contributed to bitterness and astringency. Specific metabolites, such as 4-hydroxybenzoyl glucose and feruloyl quinic acid, modulated color luminance. Volatile analysis identified 13 aroma-active compounds (OAV ≥ 1), with 1-octen-3-ol, phenylacetaldehyde, and linalool endowing JK with distinct floral-fruity notes. Molecular docking further demonstrated interactions between these volatiles and olfactory receptors (e.g., OR1A1 and OR2J2), providing mechanistic insights into aroma perception. These findings establish a robust link between cultivar-driven metabolic profiles in black tea, offering actionable criteria for cultivar selection and quality optimization in regional tea production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits)
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17 pages, 3977 KiB  
Article
Process Optimization and Odor Analysis of Instant Black Tea Powder
by Yuqin Xiong, Haomu Liao, Haiyue Liao, Xiaoyue Song, Chunhua Ma and Yan Huang
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1552; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091552 - 28 Apr 2025
Viewed by 282
Abstract
This study enhanced the odor retention of instant black tea powder by utilizing ultrasonic-assisted extraction and β-cyclodextrin embedding technology. Through single-factor tests considering variables such as the tea-to-water ratio, extraction temperature, ultrasonic extraction duration, and β-cyclodextrin addition, the optimal extraction conditions were determined. [...] Read more.
This study enhanced the odor retention of instant black tea powder by utilizing ultrasonic-assisted extraction and β-cyclodextrin embedding technology. Through single-factor tests considering variables such as the tea-to-water ratio, extraction temperature, ultrasonic extraction duration, and β-cyclodextrin addition, the optimal extraction conditions were determined. The ideal parameters were identified as follows: β-cyclodextrin was added at a rate of 7.5%, the tea-to-water ratio was 1:16, the ultrasonic extraction temperature was 52 °C, and the extraction duration was 30 min, and then the extract was processed by freeze-drying to obtain instant tea powder. Electronic nose trials revealed that the primary volatile odor compounds distinguishing the 14 groups of instant black tea soups were sulfides, terpenes, nitrogen oxides, alkanes, and aromatic compounds. HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis identified 65 effective volatile compounds, among which 11 key odor compounds, including Benzyl alcohol, Phytol, phenylethyl alcohol, 1,6,10-Dodecatrien-3-ol,3,7,11-trimethyl-,(E)-, Benzeneacetaldehyde, Undecanoic acid, ethyl ester, Dodecanoic acid, ethyl ester, Tetradecane, 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol, 2-Pentadecanone, 6,10,14-trimethyl-, and indole, were the main contributors to the odor profile of instant black tea. The instant black tea powder produced under these conditions exhibited high quality, providing a valuable reference for further research on the production process of instant black tea powder. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits)
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25 pages, 562 KiB  
Article
Optimization of the Ball Milling Process for Producing Superfine Green Tea Powder: An Analytic Hierarchy Process–Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Approach
by Yangpujia Zhou, Guohao Liu, Tao Zhou and Sui Ni
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1283; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071283 - 7 Apr 2025
Viewed by 562
Abstract
In this study, the ball milling method was used to produce superfine green tea powder (SGTP). We used the contents of chlorophyll, caffeine, tea polyphenols, and total free amino acids as indicators and combined the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation [...] Read more.
In this study, the ball milling method was used to produce superfine green tea powder (SGTP). We used the contents of chlorophyll, caffeine, tea polyphenols, and total free amino acids as indicators and combined the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation to establish an AHP–fuzzy comprehensive evaluation approach applicable to SGTP. The production process of SGTP was optimized using the response surface methodology (RSM). The results showed that the three factors of grinding time, rotation speed, and ball-to-material ratio had significant effects on the content of the main components of the tea powder, and the order of the effects was as follows: ball-to-material ratio > grinding time > rotation speed. The optimal grinding time, rotation speed, and ball-to-material ratio for the preparation of SGTP were 5.85 h, 397 r/min, and 9.2:1, respectively. We also found that, compared with green tea powder made with the traditional crushing method, the SGTP prepared under these conditions possessed strong advantages in terms of particle size, the content and dissolution of major components, and antioxidant capacity. In this study, the optimization of the production process of tea powder is initially discussed, and then, a new evaluation method for tea powder is proposed, providing technical support for improving the quality of green tea powder. The AHP–fuzzy comprehensive evaluation approach, by quantifying qualitative assessments, significantly refined our optimization process, enabling a more precise determination of optimal SGTP production parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits)
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21 pages, 9990 KiB  
Article
Fu Brick Tea Protects the Intestinal Barrier and Ameliorates Colitis in Mice by Regulating Gut Microbiota
by Yangbo Zhang, Haiyan Lin, Yifan Xiong, Zhixu Zhang, Li Zeng and Zhonghua Liu
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1122; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071122 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 300
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) pathogenesis is strongly linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis and compromised intestinal barrier integrity. Emerging evidence suggests that targeted dietary interventions may restore microbial homeostasis and ameliorate colitis progression. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of Fu Brick tea [...] Read more.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) pathogenesis is strongly linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis and compromised intestinal barrier integrity. Emerging evidence suggests that targeted dietary interventions may restore microbial homeostasis and ameliorate colitis progression. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of Fu Brick tea (FBT) using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced murine colitis model. The results indicated that oral administration of FBT extract significantly improved the disease index, reduced inflammatory response, protected intestinal barrier protein (e.g., ZO-1), and maintained intestinal structure integrity. Furthermore, FBT intake increased the diversity of gut microbiota, promoted the growth of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Akkermansia), inhibited the proliferation of harmful bacteria (e.g., Desulfovibrioceae, Escherichia, and Helicobacter), restored intestinal homeostasis, and alleviated colitis symptoms including diarrhea. These findings position FBT as a promising nutraceutical candidate for UC management via multi-target modulation of mucosal immunity and microbial ecology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits)
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16 pages, 16701 KiB  
Article
Yellow Teas Protect against DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis by Inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 Inflammasome in Mice
by Dawei Xing, Tao Zheng, Xiaoju Chen and Zhongwen Xie
Foods 2024, 13(17), 2843; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13172843 - 7 Sep 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1768
Abstract
Yellow tea (YT), a slightly fermented tea with a unique yellowing process and mellow taste, is becoming widely popular. Currently, the YT includes bud yellow tea (BYT), small-leaf yellow tea (SYT), and large-leaf yellow tea (LYT) based on maturity of raw materials. Previous [...] Read more.
Yellow tea (YT), a slightly fermented tea with a unique yellowing process and mellow taste, is becoming widely popular. Currently, the YT includes bud yellow tea (BYT), small-leaf yellow tea (SYT), and large-leaf yellow tea (LYT) based on maturity of raw materials. Previous studies have shown that YT has outstanding potential in preventing metabolic syndrome. However, the distinct effects and mechanisms of different types of YT on ulcerative colitis (UC) are still unclear. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of continuous or intermittent intervention of three yellow tea water extracts (YTEs) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in CD-1 mice. The results showed that YTE intervention significantly improves the syndrome of DSS-induced UC in mice. Mechanistic studies reveal that YTEs increase the expression levels of tight junction (TJ) proteins and reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the colon by inactivating TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3. YTE treatment protected intestinal barrier integrity and reduced serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels. Interestingly, our results indicate that large-leaf yellow tea (LYT) has a better alleviating effect than BYT and SYT. YTE intervention before DSS administration has a certain degree of preventive effect on ulcerative colitis, while continuous YTE intervention after DSS induction has a significant reversing effect on the damage caused by DSS. Our results indicated that drinking YT may have preventive and therapeutic effect on UC, especially drinking LYT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits)
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16 pages, 3115 KiB  
Article
(-)-Gallocatechin Gallate Mitigates Metabolic Syndrome-Associated Diabetic Nephropathy in db/db Mice
by Xin Xiao, Huifang Ge, Yijun Wang, Xiaochun Wan, Daxiang Li and Zhongwen Xie
Foods 2024, 13(11), 1755; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13111755 - 3 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1656
Abstract
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) significantly predisposes individuals to diabetes and is a prognostic factor for the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of (-)–gallocatechin gallate (GCG) in alleviating signs of MetS-associated DN in db/db mice. We administered GCG [...] Read more.
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) significantly predisposes individuals to diabetes and is a prognostic factor for the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of (-)–gallocatechin gallate (GCG) in alleviating signs of MetS-associated DN in db/db mice. We administered GCG and monitored its effects on several metabolic parameters, including food and water intake, urinary output, blood glucose levels, glucose and insulin homeostasis, lipid profiles, blood pressure, and renal function biomarkers. The main findings indicated that GCG intervention led to marked improvements in these metabolic indicators and renal function, signifying its potential in managing MetS and DN. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis revealed substantial modifications in gene expression, notably the downregulation of pro-inflammatory genes such as S100a8, S100a9, Cd44, Socs3, Mmp3, Mmp9, Nlrp3, IL–1β, Osm, Ptgs2, and Lcn2 and the upregulation of the anti-oxidative gene Gstm3. These genetic alterations suggest significant effects on pathways related to inflammation and oxidative stress. In conclusion, GCG demonstrates therapeutic efficacy for MetS–associated DN, mitigating metabolic disturbances and enhancing renal health by modulating inflammatory and oxidative responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Review of Tea: Processing Technology, Quality Control and Health Benefits)
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