Studies on the Carbohydrates of Tea

Part XIII Seasonal variation of the contents of various polysaccharides and free sugars in the leaves of Thea sinensis L.

Abstract

The component sugars of various polysaccharides in the leaves of Thea sinensis L. were investigated by fractional extraction with solvents and paper chromatography of their hydrolysis products. Galactose, galacturonic acid and arabinose were detected as major components, and xylose, glucose, rhamnose, ribose, and deoxyribose etc. as minor components. According to determination of various polysaccharides, except starch and cellulose, on the tea leaves of 17 varieties carried out around four seasons, no remarkable seasonal variation or the tendency on each polysaccharide content were found. Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, raffinose, stachyose, and inositol were detected as free sugars in all varieties examined. The content of free sugars in tea leaves increased with sprouting, reached a peak in June, and decreased gradually in summer. In autumn to winter, there was a sudden increase in free sugar, reaching the maximum in February, and after that, the content decreased gradually again.