The Fragrance of Time and Terroir: How Tree Age and Cultivar Shape the Aroma Profile of Phoenix Dancong Tea.

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Title: The Fragrance of Time and Terroir: How Tree Age and Cultivar Shape the Aroma Profile of Phoenix Dancong Tea.
Authors: Wang, Yanjun1 (AUTHOR), Meng, Ping2 (AUTHOR), Tian, Ling3 (AUTHOR) tianling@szpu.edu.cn, Sagar, Narashans Alok (AUTHOR) narashans.alok@gmail.com
Source: Journal of Food Quality. 1/28/2026, Vol. 2026, p1-13. 13p.
Subjects: Tree age, Cultivars, Volatile organic compounds, Taste perception, Tea, Molecular structure, Olfactory perception
Abstract: The aroma of Phoenix Dancong tea is central to its sensory quality and market value, yet its molecular basis remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we employed GC–IMS to systematically characterize the volatile profiles of Dancong teas across five tree‐age stages (10–400 years) and 11 traditional aroma types. A total of 311 volatile compounds were identified, encompassing alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, terpenes, and nitrogen‐containing heterocycles. Tree age was found to significantly enhance both the abundance and complexity of volatiles, with old‐tree samples (≥ 200 years) enriched in sesquiterpenes (α‐calacorene, β‐cubebene) and indole derivatives, contributing to a deep woody‐floral aroma base. Cultivar analysis revealed distinct and stable chemotypes across aroma types, with 2–3 representative marker compounds identified per cultivar based on statistical enrichment, reproducibility, and sensory correspondence. Principal component analysis, heatmap clustering, and aroma‐wheel mapping confirmed the alignment between chemical signatures and traditional sensory labels. This study establishes a robust marker‐based framework for authenticity verification, quality grading, and flavor‐oriented breeding in Dancong tea, bridging traditional tea classification with modern molecular precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Food Quality is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: The Fragrance of Time and Terroir: How Tree Age and Cultivar Shape the Aroma Profile of Phoenix Dancong Tea.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Food+Quality%22">Journal of Food Quality</searchLink>. 1/28/2026, Vol. 2026, p1-13. 13p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tree+age%22">Tree age</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultivars%22">Cultivars</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Volatile+organic+compounds%22">Volatile organic compounds</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Taste+perception%22">Taste perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tea%22">Tea</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Molecular+structure%22">Molecular structure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Olfactory+perception%22">Olfactory perception</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The aroma of Phoenix Dancong tea is central to its sensory quality and market value, yet its molecular basis remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we employed GC–IMS to systematically characterize the volatile profiles of Dancong teas across five tree‐age stages (10–400 years) and 11 traditional aroma types. A total of 311 volatile compounds were identified, encompassing alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, terpenes, and nitrogen‐containing heterocycles. Tree age was found to significantly enhance both the abundance and complexity of volatiles, with old‐tree samples (≥ 200 years) enriched in sesquiterpenes (α‐calacorene, β‐cubebene) and indole derivatives, contributing to a deep woody‐floral aroma base. Cultivar analysis revealed distinct and stable chemotypes across aroma types, with 2–3 representative marker compounds identified per cultivar based on statistical enrichment, reproducibility, and sensory correspondence. Principal component analysis, heatmap clustering, and aroma‐wheel mapping confirmed the alignment between chemical signatures and traditional sensory labels. This study establishes a robust marker‐based framework for authenticity verification, quality grading, and flavor‐oriented breeding in Dancong tea, bridging traditional tea classification with modern molecular precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Food Quality is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1155/jfq/8131886
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 13
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Tree age
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cultivars
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Volatile organic compounds
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Taste perception
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      – SubjectFull: Tea
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Molecular structure
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Olfactory perception
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: The Fragrance of Time and Terroir: How Tree Age and Cultivar Shape the Aroma Profile of Phoenix Dancong Tea.
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            NameFull: Wang, Yanjun
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            NameFull: Meng, Ping
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            NameFull: Tian, Ling
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            NameFull: Sagar, Narashans Alok
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            – D: 28
              M: 01
              Text: 1/28/2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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