Studies on Thearubigin Pigments in Black Tea Manufacturing Systems

Abstract

Abstract The formation of thearubigin pigments in prevalent commercial manufacturing systems such as orthodox roll, roll followed by curling, tearing, crushing (CTC), rotorvane combined with CTC and CTC alone was studied in the six Tocklai released clones TV‐1, TV‐2, TV‐8, TV‐9, TV‐17 and TV‐18. The contribution of the pigment composition, especially thearubigins of high, intermediate and low molecular weights as separated by a Sephadex LH 20 column, was examined on the basis of the types of leaves, degree of wither and roll, conditions of fermentation and the temperature and type of drying. It was apparent that the biochemical pathway in the black tea processing could be conveniently followed from the thearubigin formation. Further, the amount of high molecular weight thearubigin could determine the quantity of cream formed in a black tea brew. The thearubigin and concomitant pigments such as theaflavin have distinct organoleptic properties and their variation was reflected in the overall quality of the finished product.