| Abstract: | Chlorophyll content in black teas increased with a rise in shoot maturity, while the theaflavin content, brightness, total colour and tasters' evaluation declined. The increase in chlorophyll content in black teas of clone S15/10 was in a parallel with the greenness of the black tea infusions as described by tea tasters. These relationships were less pronounced in clone 6/8. The thearubigins content and the individual volatile flavour compounds composition in black tea remained the same or declined with increased shoot maturity, respectively. The results suggest that the impact of chlorophyll content on black tea quality is clonal dependent and becomes more significant as tea shoots mature and when the other plain black tea chemical quality parameters are low. |
