Major Components of Teas Manufactured with Leaf and Flower of Korean Native Camellia japonica L.

The major compositions of leaf tea and flower tea were investigated to develope as a new functional tea using Korean native Camellia japonica L. Most of leaf teas, except flower tea, were considered as good materials with basic conditions for tea manufacture because water content was below 6%. Crude protein was the greatest component in roasted young leaf tea (RYLT), crude fats in roasted mature leaf tea (RMLT) and ashes in fermented young leaf tea (FYLT). Caffein were present as the highest amount (5.18%) in steamed mature leaf tea (SMLT), showing less amount than green tea. Catechin were contained as the highest amount in all kinds of teas, especially FYLT was the highest (9.57%). Tannin, which highly related with tea quality including astringent taste, color and perfume, were present as the highest amount in FYLT. Vitamin C was highly detected in the tea from flowers (22.7 mg/l00 g) rather than in the tea from leaves. The content of theanine were found in flower tea by 1,074 mg/l00 g, and had about twofold of FYLT and RYLT. Among free amino acids, glutamic acid and aspartic acid were higher detected in SMLT and RMLT while asparagine was present as higher amounts in RYLT and FYLT, expecting these components can improve tea taste. Nucleic acids and their derivatives including GMP, hypoxanthine and AMP were detected as the higher amounts by 7.86, 8.57, and , respectively, however IMP content was even reduced by all manufacturing processes. In all kinds of tea, sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose were detected, specially glucose and fructose were found as highest amount in RFT by 65.5 and 59.6 nmol/0.1 mg, respectively.