Study on the Effects of Processes on Aroma Compounds in Rizhao Green Tea Based on the Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry

Tea processing plays an important role in the formation of tea aroma. In order to explore the composition and variation in aroma during Rizhao green tea processing, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry was employed to investigate the formation and changes of tea aroma in four processing stages. A total of 62 volatile compounds were identified, including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, terpenes, and oxygen compounds. Relative odor activity value was used to identify 17 characteristic aroma compounds. The main aromatic compounds of chestnut-like aroma were linalool, pentanal, hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, 3-methylthiopropanal, and methyl 2-methylbutanoate. There were significant changes in the volatile components at different processing stages. Samples of tea leaves and green tea had special aroma characteristics, while samples of fixated and rolled leaves had similar aroma compounds. The results are beneficial for the improvement of the flavor and quality of Rizhao green tea. Practical Application. Tea is the world’s most consumed nonalcoholic beverage, with a multitude of health-promoting benefits, such as antioxidant, antiobesity, and antiallergic activities. At present, the research on the aroma compounds of Rizhao green tea mainly focuses on the aroma characteristics of finished tea and the aroma differences of different kinds of commercial tea. This study explored the effects of the processes on aroma compounds, and the results provide a theoretical reference for the improvement of tea processing technology, tea quality control, and evaluation methods.