• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.682-688
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• 2009

Changes in lipophillic pigments concentration and its relation to color of fresh green tea liquor during heat treatment were studied. The results showed liquor greenness decreased markedly with extension of incubation time at $55^{\circ}C$, while the brightness and yellowness changed a little. Significant increase in 'a' and 'b' values of tea liquor was observed at $95^{\circ}C$. Color change of liquor at $55^{\circ}C$ was accompanied by a decrease in the level of chlorophylls, lutein and neoxanthin, and an increase in the pheophytins and ${\beta}-carotene$ levels. However, all pigments except ${\beta}-carotene$ decreased with time extension at $95^{\circ}C$. Significant correlation was found between pigments and color difference index. The browning of fresh green tea liquor was attributed to vicissitudes of lipophillic pigments during heat treatment, especially to the change of chlorophylls/pheophytins ratio. Result also showed addition of $Zn^{2+}$ at 1.6 ${\mu}mol/L$ could partially alleviate the decrease in greenness during heat treatment.