Newswise — Green tea is quickly becoming the tea of choice for health conscious consumers with U.S. tea drinkers preferring green tea with lower flavor and bitterness intensity, according to a new study from the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists.
The tea plant Camellia Sinesis has many varieties, resulting in diverse green teas from various countries. In addition, processing methods—roasting, steaming, and a combination of the two—directly impact the appearance and flavor of the end product.
Researchers from Drexel University and Kansas State University examined differences in acceptability of commonly available loose-leaf and bagged green teas available from Japan, Korea, and China to determine which green tea flavor characteristics appealed to the American consumer.
• A total of six green tea samples from China, Korea, and Japan were used; three types of green loose leaf teas and three types of bagged green teas were chosen from each country.
• Six grams of loose leaf teas were place in 300 mL of water at 70°C and brewed for two minutes.
• Single tea bags were brewed in 240 mL of water at 70°C and the bag was dipped 10 times and pressed with a spoon prior to discard.
• Consumers preferred green tea made from tea bags versus loose leaf.
• Consumers perceived intensity of bitterness in tea bag teas as lower than loose-leaf teas.
• Chinese and Japanese tea bags were most preferred.
Lead researcher Jeehyun Lee states, “This study lays the foundation to learning what green tea flavor characteristics influence consumers’ liking. Future studies should include using more green tea samples with different flavor profiles.”
To receive a copy of the study, please contact Jeannie Houchins at [email protected].
About IFTThe Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a nonprofit scientific society. Our individual members are professionals engaged in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. IFT’s mission is to advance the science of food, and our long-range vision is to ensure a safe and abundant food supply, contributing to healthier people everywhere.
For more than 70 years, the IFT has been unlocking the potential of the food science community by creating a dynamic global forum where members from more than 100 countries can share, learn, and grow. We champion the use of sound science across the food value chain through the exchange of knowledge, by providing education, and by furthering the advancement of the profession. IFT has offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit ift.org.
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