Optimization of Brewing Process Vine Tea and Flavor Analysis of Different Brewing Processes

As a traditional Chinese medicine with the dual use of medicine and food, vine tea has been utilized for centuries as a daily health beverage due to its various health benefits. The primary component responsible for its biological activity is its total flavonoid content. While numerous studies have been conducted on the extracts of vine tea, research has primarily centered on its ingredients and effects, with limited focus on its sensory characteristics. As it has the problems of the undesirable flavor of bitterness and astringency, the development of the vine tea industry is limited. Furthermore, there is currently no standardized brewing process for vine tea. Therefore, it is essential to find a brewing method that is universally applicable and balances a high level of active ingredients with a rich sensory experience. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation into the impact of various water qualities, tea-water ratios, brewing temperatures, steeping times, and frequencies on the total flavonoid content. To investigate the differences between samples from different brewing methods, one-factor experiments (n = 20) and orthogonal experiments were conducted. The total flavonoid content was measured using UV spectrophotometry. To thoroughly examine the flavor compounds, we employed mathematical relationship analysis, radar-gram analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and odor fingerprinting. By integrating these methods with the electronic tongue and electronic nose, we were able to compare the flavor variances between samples and offer a concise analysis of the flavor compounds. The brewing process is influenced by several factors, with the tea-to-water ratio having the most significant impact, followed by brewing temperature and then brewing time. Electronic tongues and electronic noses can distinguish vine tea samples with different brewing processes to a certain extent. The optimal brewing conditions determined in this study were pure water, a 1 : 50 tea-to-water ratio, an 85°C brewing temperature, an 8-minute brewing time, and a single brew cycle. These conditions produced the highest total flavonoid content in the vine tea, at 326.8 mg/g, and the best flavor quality. This study offers novel approaches to standardize the brewing process of vine tea, along with valuable perspectives for enhancing the sensory attributes of the tea. It can serve as a benchmark for the industry’s future growth in the canning of vine tea, facilitating the creation of diverse vine tea drinks.