Correlation between leaf age, shade levels, and characteristic beneficial natural constituents of tea (Camellia sinensis) grown in Hawaii

This study showed the relationship between tea leaf age, bud and first two leaves, and shade levels, on the relative concentrations of six major compounds of tea leaf, namely L-theanine, caffeine, and the major tea catechins; (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin (EC), and (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), all of which are reported to have positive effects on human health, as well as at the ferric reducing antioxidant power of bud and leaf extracts. The concentration of L-theanine and caffeine decreased as leaf age increased moving from bud to first and then second leaf, while the concentration of the four catechins increased from the bud to first and second leaves. In most cases this increase was generally relatively small but in the case of EGC it was 7 to 10-fold. Certain chemical components of freshly picked, minimally processed and essentially unoxidised tea may potentially be used as markers for age, quality, authenticity and area of growth. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.