*Şaziye
(ÇEPER)
ILGAZ **Dr. Muammer
SARIMEHMET ***Zuhal KALCIOĞLU
Green
tea, originated from China has been used as a beverage and medicine in
China
since 2700 BC.The Japanese custom of drinking green tea came from China
about
800 AD.
Green
tea is manufactured from the fresh shoots of Camellia sinensis.Green
tea manufacturing
depends on the inactivation of tea leaf enzymes which are called
oxidation
enzymes by steaming or pan-firing of fresh leaves.Polyphenol oxidase is
the
most important enzyme in green tea production. As the oxidation is
prevented by
the inactivation of polyhenols are not oxidised and the leaves remain
green.
The
chemical composition of green tea varies with climate,
season,horticultural
practices, and the age of the leaf (position of the leaf on the
harvested
shoot).The major components of green tea are polyphenols especially
EGCG.The
other components of green tea are caffeine, theanine (a kind of amino
acid),vitamins, organic acids, polysaccharides, protein lignin
,fluoride,
minerals,etc.
In
recent years, with the advance of modern chemistry,components of green
tea have
been analyzed and the health effects of green tea have progressed to
the point
where there is now scientific confirmation for the saying that ‘Green
teas is a
miraculous drink for the maintenance of health’. This expression
belongs
to the
monk Eisai from Japanese.
One of
the most exciting health developments of nineteenth century has been
the
discovery of anti-carcinogenic properties of green tea.In the last
scientific
researches have confirmed that green tea polyphenols have powerful
anti-carcinogenic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective and antimicrobial
activities.
With the
increasing interest in green tea for health benefist, the developed
countries
in the world are all increasing their consumption of green tea.
Green tea is
mainly used as a
beverage as dried tea, but it is also used in the manufacture of canned
tea
drinks, ice-creams,biscuits, cakes, catechins (supplies antioxidants
for
pharmaceutical products), cosmetis products (skin-care, shampoos,
deodorants),
filters, soaps, toothpaste, etc.
In the 3rd
shooting period of 2003, Çaykur green tea has been begun to
produce in ‘Green
The Experimental Production Centre’ of Çaykur Organization.At
the beginning of
this year, the production centre have been reorganized and developed
for
producing more green tea than before.And now its capacity is 10 tones
fresh tea
leaves per day.The inactivation of tea leaf enzymes which are
called
oxidation enzymes is achieved by steaming in this production
centre.Steamed tea
leaves are rolled and dried gradually for improving the aroma and
protecting
the components of green tea as much as possible.
The aim
of this study is formed and developed the custom of drinking green tea
especially Çaykur Green Tea in Turkey.For this reason,the
quality characteristics
of Çaykur Green Tea have been tried to determine in
Atatürk Tea Research
Institute.
For the
research work fresh tea shoots of 1 st shooting period, crude and
clssified
Çaykur Green Teas, and six different markets in Turkey have been
used as
materials.
A series of physical, chemical and organoleptic analysis have been done in Tea Research Institute labratories and the results of these analysis have been appreciated by means of statistical analysis method.
Dried
tea yield, different physical characteristics, moisture, water extract,
total
ash, water-soluble ash, acid-insoluble ash, alkalinity of water soluble
ash,
cellulose, polyphenol, caffeine, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Mg contents and
organoleptic analysis of Çaykur Green Teas and six different
kinds of green tea
which are produced in foreign countries have been determined.
As a
conclusion; we can say that the results of the analysis of
Çaykur Green tea
which belongs to the 1st shooting period of 2004 were found to be
corresponded
to the results of the popular green teas in the world which were
studied in
Japan, China, India, England, USA, etc.And it was determined that the
quality
characteristics of Çaykur Green Teas are better than the other
green teas are
produced in foreign countries and sold in Turkey.
** Atatürk Çay ve
Bahçe Bitkileri
Enstitüsü Müdürü, Rize
*** Atatürk Çay ve
Bahçe Bitkileri Araştırma
Enstitüsünde Ziraat Mühendisi
Çay İşletmeleri Genel
Müdürlüğü,
2004/ RİZE