Characterization of volatile components of tea flowers (Camellia sinensis) growing in Kangra by GC/MS.

Volatile flavour components of tea flowers (Camellia sinensis) were isolated by two methods viz. simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), analyzed by GC and GC/MS and compared with headspace analysis (HS). The composition of the volatile components extracted by the three methods differed considerably. In SFE, phenylethanol (14.7%), linalool (7.9%), (E)-linalool oxide furanoid (3.5%), epoxy linalool (1.6%), geraniol (2.3%) and hotrienol (1.5%) were major components. m-Xylene (2.6%), (E)-linalool oxide pyranoid (5.4%), p-myrcene (5.2%), alpha-cadinol (4.3%) and methyl palmitate (2.9%) were major compounds isolated by SDE. 3-hexenol (2.1%) (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (20.9%) and linalool (35.1%) are major components in headspace analysis. Acetophenone and pheromone germacrene D is detected in tea flowers by all the methods studied. Floral, fresh and fruity odour of tea flowers is retained by SFE as there is very little loss of heat sensitive volatiles in SFE. The flavour isolated from SFE has superior quality compared to SDE.