A Comparative Study of Aromatic Characterization of Yingde Black Tea Infusions in Different Steeping Temperatures

Abstract Black tea, known for its unique aroma, is one of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages. Because of complex aroma composition, studying black tea aroma has attracted widespread attention. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different steeping temperatures (60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, and 95 °C) on the aroma composition of Yingde black tea for the first time. A total of 157 volatile compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). These compounds can be divided into 11 categories, including alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, terpenes and sulfides. The types of different volatile compounds and contents in tea infusion samples show a positive correlation with steeping temperature. A total of 16 main aromatic compounds were identified though the comparison analysis of gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O FD≥32) data and odor activity value (OAV value ≥1), including β-damascone, β-ionone, linalool, ethyl hexanoate, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, nonanal, methyl salicylate, 3-hexenyl isovalerate, cedrol, and longifolene. A correlation of characteristic aroma data with descriptive sensory analysis (DSA) data clearly established that different steeping temperatures result in different overall aroma qualities of the black tea, indicating that steeping temperature is a key parameter affecting the aroma composition.