2017 Volume 50 Issue 5 Pages 182-188
Matcha is a type of powdered tea; it was previously regarded as a precious beverage and is served at tea ceremonies in Japan. Today, powdered teas labeled “matcha” are used in the food industry as well as in cooking; both are referred to as industrial-grade matcha in this report. Moreover, powdered green teas that are not labeled as “matcha” are also sold in the market. However, there is little information on the quality of these powdered teas. Therefore, in this study, we compared the chemical components of “matcha” and powdered green tea. Ten grades of Tencha (milled Tencha is matcha) were collected and their chemical components were analyzed. Based on the results, the contents of theanine and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) and the ratio of epigallocatechin gallate/epigallocatechin (EGCG/EGC) were compared among the powdered teas sold on the market. Tea ceremony-grade matcha was found to contain >1.8 g/100 g DW of theanine and exhibited an EGCG/EGC ratio >3.2 (weight-based). Most industrial-grade matcha and powdered green tea samples exhibited lower values; however, it was difficult to distinguish industrial-grade matcha from powdered green tea by using only these parameters. The Chl-a content of matcha for tea ceremonies was more than 250 mg/100 g DW. Powdered green tea samples, except for Gyokuro powders, exhibited low Chl-a contents relative to both ceremonial and industrial grade matcha samples.
