Evaluation of Changes in Theaflavin, Thearubigins, Caffeine and Alcohol Content during Tea Wine Fermentation
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Date
2021
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Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Tea made from tender shoots of tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is renowned for its refreshing and
health promoting properties. A process for manufacturing wine using tea extract was developed by
the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka. As a diversified product, tea wine will broaden market for
tea. Parties interested to commercialize this product are eager to know the chemical changes
undergo during tea wine fermentation. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate
the changes in theaflavin, thearubigins, caffeine and alcohol contents during tea wine fermentation.
Tea Infusion of 2°Brix was obtained by brewing black tea (Broken Orange Pekoe grade) with
boiling water and it was enriched with sugar to form a 22 °Brix must. This prepared must was
fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae in glass canisters fixed with fermentation traps for a
period of six weeks. Chemical composition of fermenting wine was determined in weekly interval.
Theaflavins ,and thearubigins contents were determined by (Roberts and Smith, (1963) method
whereas caffeine and alcohol contents were determined by ISO 14502, (2005) and hydro meter
methods respectively. This experiment was conducted in triplicate. Initial theaflavin (16.06±3.5
μg), thearubigins (809.23 ±39.11 μg) and caffeine (93.58±0.54 mg) contents per 100 mL of
22°Brix must decreased to 15.56 ±0.60 μg ,547.23 ±12.92 μg and 86.33±1.20 mg per 100 mL
respectively at the end of the fermentation period. Alcohol content of the final product was 11.78%
(volume by volume). Theaflavins and thearubigins are black tea polyphenols which contribute to
much of physicochemical, organoleptic and therapeutic properties of tea. Further, caffeine is known
as a central nervous system stimulant. Therefore, tea wine with its appreciable quantities of
theaflavins, thearubigins and caffeine will be a better alternative to other types wines
Keywords: Tea wine; Fermentation; Theaflavins; Thearubigins; Caffeine; Alcohol
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Keywords
Food Science, Food Science and Technology, Beverage Technology, Tea, Tea Wine