Bal Bharati Public School

Session- 2011-2012

TOPIC:

The Study of Contents Responsible

for Flavour of Tea

By: Shreya Sharma

XII (Rose) Roll no. - 24

 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Shreya Sharma of class XII has

successfully completed the project work on chemistry for
class XII practical examination of the Central Board of
Secondary Education in the year 2011-2012. All the
three experiments in the project were performed by the
student. It is further certified that this project is the
individual work of the candidate.

Signature:

Date:

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to

my teacher Ms. Sonali Khanvilkar as well as our principal
Ms. Sudhi Mattoo who gave me the golden opportunity to
do this wonderful project on the topic the Study of
Contents Responsible for Flavour of Tea, which also helped
me in doing a lot of Research and I came to know about so
many new things. I am really thankful to them.

Secondly I would also like to thank my parents and

friends who helped me a lot in finishing this project
within the limited time.

I am making this project not only for marks but also to

increase my knowledge.

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL WHO HELPED ME.

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 CONTENTS

S. No. Heading Page No.

1. The study of contents responsible for the -4-

flavour of tea
- Introduction

2. Tea Chemistry -6-

3. The components of tea -8-

- Caffeine
- Tea fibre
- Carbohydrates
- Amino Acids
- Lipids and fatty acids
- Anthocyanidins
- Organic acids

4. Tea and Health -11-

5. Experiments carried out -12-

- Experiment 1
- Experiment 2
- Experiment 3

6. Conclusion -18-

7. Bibliography -20-

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 The Study of Contents
Responsible for Flavour of Tea

INTRODUCTION

Tea is the most commonly and widely used soft beverage in the
household. It acts as a stimulant for central nervous system and
skeletal muscles. That is why tea removes fatigue, tiredness and
headache. It also increases the capacity of thinking. It is also used
for lowering body temperature. The principle constituent of tea,
which is responsible for all these properties, is the alkaloid-caffeine.
The amount of caffeine in tea leaves varies from sample to
sample.

Originally it was thought that caffeine is responsible for the taste

and flavour of tea. But pure caffeine has been found to be a
tasteless while substance. Therefore, the taste and flavour of tea
is due to some other substance present in it. There is a little
doubt that the popularity of the xanthenes beverages depends on
their stimulant action, although most people are unaware of any
stimulation. The degree to which an individual is stimulated by
given amount of caffeine varies from individual to individual.

Tea is made from the young leaves and buds of the tea plant.
Besides caffeine, tea leaves contain tannic acid and colouring
matter, such as polyphenolic compounds. The relative amounts of

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these substances are different in different varieties of tea leaves,
that is why, their taste and flavour are different.

The brownish colour of the tea is due to the presence of

polyphenolic compounds and some inorganic icons like Mn2+, Fe3+
etc. some simple experiments can be carried out to study the
components that are responsible for the variation in tea flavour in
various brand of tea.

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 TEA CHEMISTRY
Chemical Composition of Fresh Tea Shoot

Compounds % Dry weight Contribution

Total Polyphenols 25 - 30 Astringency
Flavanols
(-) Epigallocatechin gallate 8 - 12
(-) Epicatechin gallate 3-6
(-) Epigallo catechin 3-6
(-) Epicatechin 1-3
(+) Catechin 1-2
(+) Gallocatechin 3-4
Flavonols and flavonol glycosides 3-4
Leuco anthocyanins 2-3
Polyphenolic acids and depsides 3-4
Caffeine 3-4 Briskness
Theobromine 0.2
Theophylline 0.5
Amino acids 4-5 Brothyness
Organic acids 0.5 - 0.6
Monosaccharides 4-5
Polysaccharides 14 - 22
Cellulose and Hemicellulose 4-7
Pectins 5-6
Lignin 5-6
Protein 14 - 17
Lipids 3-5
Chlorophylls and other pigments 0.5 - 0.6 Colour and Appearance
Ash (minerals) 5-6
Volatiles 0.01 - 0.02 Aroma

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Biochemical compounds responsible for colour

Compounds Colour
Theaflavins Yellowish brown
Thearubigins Reddish brown
Flavonol glycosides Light yellow
Pheophorbide Brownish
Pheophytin Blackish
Carotene Yellow

Biochemical compounds responsible for taste

Compounds Taste
Polyphenol Astringent
Amino acids Brothy
Caffeine Bitter
Theaflavins Astringent
Thearubigin Ashy and slight astringent

Biochemical compounds responsible for flavour

Compounds Flavour
Linalool, Linalool oxide Sweet
Geraniol, Phenylacetaldehyde Floral
Nerolidol, Benzaldehyde, Methyl salicylate, Phenyl ethanol Fruity
Trans-2-Hexenal, n-Hexanal, Cis-3-Hexenol, Grassy, b-Ionone Fresh flavour

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 THE COMPONENTS
Caffeine

Caffeine is a purine derivative, which is 1,3,7-tri-methyl xanthine.

Caffeine content in black tea is around 3 - 4% of dry weight. It
has stimulating property and removes mental fatigue. The
contribution of caffeine to the infusion is the briskness and creamy
property resulting from the complex formed by caffeine with
polyphenols. Briskness is a taste and sensation while creaming is
the turbidity that develops from a good cup of tea when cooled.
On the contrary their excessive use is harmful to digestion and
their long use leads to mental retardation.

Tea fibre

The leaf cell wall, containing cellulostic materials surrounded by

hemi-cellulose and a lignin seal, prevents the penetration of
hydrolyzing enzymes. The reduced succulence in the matured shoot
is believed to be due to structural bonding between phenolic
components of lignin, polysaccharides and cutin of cell wall.

Carbohydrates

The free sugars found in tea shoot are glucose, fructose, sucrose,
raffinose and stachyose. Maltose in Assam variety and rhamnose in
china variety appeared special. Pectic substances contain galactose,
arabinose, galacturonic acid, rhamnose and ribose. Free sugars are

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responsible for the synthesis of catechins in tea shoot, formation
of heterocyclic flavour compounds during processing of black tea
and contributing towards water-soluble solids in tea liquor.
Cellulose, hemi-cellulose, pectins and lignins are responsible for the
formation of crude fibre content in black tea.

Amino acids

Aspartic, glutamic, serine, glutamine, tyrosine, valine,

phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine and theanine (5-N-ethylglutamine)
were found to be the principal amino acids present in tea leaf.
Theanine alone contributed around 60% of total amino acid
content. Asparagine was formed during withering. The amino acids
play an important role in the development of tea aroma during
the processing of black tea.

Lipids and fatty acids

The neutral, glyco and phospholipid contents and their fatty acid
composition varied in Assam, China and Cambod varieties and also
during different stages of black tea manufacture. Total lipid
contents(%) and total fatty acids (g/g) at different stages i.e.
green leaf, withered leaf, rolled leaf, fermented leaf and black teas
are about 6.5, 5.7, 4.5, 4.3 and 2.8 and 9.8, 8.4, 6.6, 4.8
and 3.7 respecttively. The major fatty acids available in tea are
linolenic, linoleic, oleic and palmitic.

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Anthocyanidins

Delphenidin and cyanidin were the major anthocyanidins present in

tea leaf. Anthocyanin contents were higher in tea shoots from
pruned than those of unpruned bushes. Role of anthocyanins on
the quality of black tea however, has not been found to be
significant.

Organic acids

Citric, tartaric, malic, oxalic, fumaric and succinic acids were

detected in Assam leaf. Role of organic acids towards the
biochemical influence on the quality of black tea is not yet
reported.

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 TEA AND HEALTH

A large body of scientific evidence indicates the benefits of tea

drinking for its wide range of medicinal properties. Tea prevents
coronary heart disease, hypertension, blood sugar and tooth decay.
Tea has also been reported to have antiviral and germicidal
activity.

The most important medicinal value of tea is that it is

anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic. The anticarcinogenic activity
contributed by the antioxidant polyphenols in tea has been shown
to be in very low concentration even in consumer dosages. Thus
tea offers tremendous scope of emerging as practical
chemipreventive included in a healthy diet for protection of the
general consumers by lowering the risk of different types of
cancer.

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 Experiments Carried Out

Experiment-1

Aim:
Compare the water soluble polyphenol content in the various
samples of tea leaves.

Requirements:
Beakers, conical flasks, funnels, heating arrangement, tea bags of
different brands of tea.

Theory:
Tea contains up to 30% of the water soluble polyphenols. These
are largely responsible for the flavour of the tea. To estimate the
extent of these compounds in a given sample, the tea leaves are
immersed in hot water for equal time and loss in the weight of
tea leaves in determined.

Procedure:

1. Weigh the different samples of tea and place them in tea

bags.
2. Take three or four conical flasks and put 100ml of hot water
to each of them.
3. Put tea bags of different samples of tea in the different
conical flasks. After 10 minutes remove the tea bags and dry
them by placing in an oven.
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 4. When the tea bags become dry, reweigh them.
5. Note the flavour of the tea solution obtained.

Tea bag

Observations:

S. Brand name of Initial Final Loss of % of water

No. tea weight weight weight soluble
(gms) (gms) (gms) component

1. Brooke Bond (Taj 2.410 1.810 0.6 75.1 %

Mahal)
2. Homewood Tea 2.390 1.620 0.77 67.8 %
3. Twinings (green 2.290 1.740 0.55 76 %
tea & lemon)

Result:
The tea having better flavour has more polyphenol content.

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 Experiment 2

Aim:
Compare the tannic acid content of various samples of tea.

Requirements:
Beakers, conical flasks, funnel, heating arrangement, various samples
of tea, calcium carbonate, conc. HCL.

Theory:
The tannic acid present in tea leaves is precipitated as calcium
tannate by treatment of aqueous solution of tea with calcium
carbonate. Calcium tannate is then hydrolysed with conc. HCL and
re-crystallised from water.

Tannic acid
Procedure:

1. Weigh 5g of each of the given samples of tea leaves.

2. Take 100ml of distilled water in a 400ml beaker and boil it.
Then add the first sample of tea leaves to it and boil for 10
minutes. Cool and filter the solution.

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 3. To the filtrate add about 2g of solid calcium carbonate and
boil the contents. Tannic acid gets precipitated as calcium
tannate. Separate the precipitate of calcium tannate by
filtration.
4. Calcium tannate obtained is hydrolysed by warming with 4-
5ml of conc. HCL. The tannic acid obtained is crystallized
from water and weighed.
5. Repeat the steps 2, 3 and 4 with the other samples of tea
and record the observations.

Observations:

S. Brand name of Weight of Weight of % of

No. tea tea leaves tannic acid tannic
taken obtained acid
(gms) (gms)

1. Red Label 5.800 1.466 25.3 %

2. Waghbakri Tea 5.810 0.973 16.7 %

Result:
The tea sample containing higher percentage of tannic acid gives
better flavour.

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 Experiment-3

Aim:
Compare the caffeine content of the different samples of tea.

Requirements:
Beakers, Conical flasks, heating arrangement, different samples of
tea, sulphuric acid and chloroform.

Theory:
Tea contains caffeine up to 4%. It is more soluble in chloroform
than in water. Therefore, it can be extracted from the aqueous
extract of the tea with chloroform. However, tannic acid and lead
interfere in the extraction and these have to be removed first.
Tannic acid is removed as calcium tannate and lead as lead
sulphate. After the removal of tannic acid and lead, caffeine is
extracted with chloroform.

Formula of caffeine

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Procedure:

1. To the filtrate from Experiment 2 add about 1ml of dil.

H2SO4. Lead gets precipitated as lead sulphate.
2. Remove the ppt. by filtration and extract the filtrate with
chloroform 3-4 times.
3. Combine the chloroform extract and remove the solvent by
heating on a stream bath. The residue left behind is caffeine.
4. Weigh the residue left behind.
5. Similarly, determine the amount of caffeine in other samples
of tea.

Observations:

S. Brand of Weight of tea Weight of

No. name of the leaves taken caffeine % of
tea (gms) obtained caffeine
(gms)

1. Red Label 5.800 0.197 3.4 %

2. Waghbakri Tea 5.810 0.168 2.9 %

Result:
The tea sample containing higher percentage of caffeine gives
better flavour.

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 CONCLUSION

Tea is made from the young leaves and buds of the

tea plant. Besides caffeine, tea leaves contain
tannic acid and colouring matter, such as
polyphenolic compounds. The relative amounts of
these substances are different in different varieties
of tea leaves, which is why, their taste and flavour
are different.

The brownish colour of the tea is due to the

presence of polyphenolic compounds and some
inorganic icons like Mn2+, Fe3+ etc.

Tea contains up to 30% of the water soluble

polyphenols. These are largely responsible for the
flavour of the tea. It contains caffeine up to 4%. It is
more soluble in chloroform than in water.
Therefore, it can be extracted from the aqueous
extract of the tea with chloroform. However, tannic
acid and lead interfere in the extraction and these
have to be removed first.

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Tea acts as a stimulant for central nervous system
and skeletal muscles and removes fatigue, tiredness
and headache. The principle constituent of tea,
which is responsible for all these properties, is the
alkaloid-caffeine. The amount of caffeine in tea
leaves varies from sample to sample.

The conclusions from the three experiments are as

follows:

1. The tea having better flavour has more

polyphenol content.

2. The tea sample containing higher percentage of

tannic acid gives better flavour.

3. The tea sample containing higher percentage of

caffeine gives better flavour.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Websites:
www.google.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.fmltea.com
coffeetea.about.com
www.tocklai.net

Books:
Comprehensive practical chemistry
Investigatory projects on chemistry

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