To optimize the processing techniques for Zanthoxylum bungeanum tea, elucidate the mechanisms through which different methods influence its quality and bioactive components.
Through a comparative analysis of 3 kinds of typical processing techniques for black tea, green tea, and white tea, this study systematically evaluated their distinct impacts on the quality characteristics of Zanthoxylum bungeanum tea.
Among the 3 kinds of processing techniques evaluated, the green tea method exhibited the most favorable overall performance for producing Zanthoxylum bungeanum tea. Regarding sensory quality, this method effectively preserved the characteristic aroma and flavor profiles of Zanthoxylum bungeanum leaves, yielding a unique sensory profile characterized by a mild numbing sensation and a fresh, spicy aroma. In terms of nutritional and bioactive components, the content of water-soluble extracts (36.00%), vitamin B2 (0.46 mg/100 g), vitamin C (154.00 mg/100 g) and β-carotene (1.31×104 µg/100 g) were significantly increased (P<0.05). Functionally, the green tea method achieved a total flavonoid content of 9254.24 μg/g, which was significantly higher than that of Zanthoxylum bungeanum tea (Red) and Zanthoxylum bungeanum tea (White) by 206.30% and 93.90%, respectively. Moreover, the retention of numbing compounds, including hydroxy-α-sanshool and hydroxy-β-sanshool was optimal; their concentrations fell within the desirable threshold range for both flavor and bioactivity, without inducing any negative sensory effects. These advantages were attributable to the high-temperature fixation step inherent to green tea processing, which rapidly inactivated key enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase and amide hydrolase, thereby suppressing oxidative degradation. In contrast, during black tea processing and white tea processing, enzyme activity was not sufficiently inhibited, resulting in varying degrees of constituent transformation and degradation.
Through the modulation of enzyme activity during processing, the green tea method achieves the simultaneous preservation of sensory qualities, bioactive components, and characteristic flavor compounds in Zanthoxylum bungeanum tea. The resulting product thus exhibits both desirable flavor attributes and potential health benefits, establishing this method as the optimal approach for high-quality production. These findings provide a crucial technological foundation for the high-value utilization of Zanthoxylum bungeanum leaves.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |