UHPLC analysis of major functional components in six types of Chinese teas: Constituent profile and origin consideration

In this study, an effective ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method for simultaneous determination of 15 constituents of catechins, caffeine, gallic acid and theaflavins was developed. Employing the developed UHPLC method, the contents of the 15 constituents were analyzed in 245 samples of 6 types of Chinese teas collected from different places. The catechin contents in these samples ranged from 16.50 to 94.35 mg/g. Theaflavins were not detected in green tea and white tea, and caffeine did not strongly relate to germplasm resource or fermentation degree. Principal component analysis (PCA) of UHPLC data revealed that white, oolong and green tea samples could be clustered closely, demonstrating notable difference of functional components between the three types of teas resulting from preparation process and varieties. The constituent profile could be primarily attributed to the structural transformation of catechins and pigments during tea processing. This study would advance our understanding of chemical profile of Chinese teas afforded by different processing technologies.