Seasonal Changes in Activities of Enzymes Responsible for the Formation of C6-aldehydes and C6-alcohols in Tea Leaves, and the Effects of Environmental Temperatures on the Enzyme Activities

When tea leaves were homogenized and incubated, the volatileC₆-compounds hexanal, cis-3-hexenal, cis-3-hexenol and trans-2-hexenalwere formed much more by summer leaves than by winter leavesof tea plants (Camellia sinensis). The enzymes lipolytic acylhydrolase (LAH), lipoxygenase, fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase(HPO lyase) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and an isomerizationfactor were responsible for the sequential reactions of C₆-compoundformation from linoleic and linolenic acids in tea leaf lipids,and there were seasonal changes in their activities. The tealeaf enzymes were of 3 types: LAH and lipoxygenase, which hadhigh activities in summer leaves and low activities in winterleaves; ADH, which had low activity in summer leaves and highactivity in winter ones; and HPO lyase and the isomerizationfactor, which did not seem to have any effect on the rate ofC₆-compound formation throughout the year. Changes in enzymeactivities were induced by shifts in the environmental air temperaturerather than by the age of the leaves. The combined activitiesof these enzymes determined the amounts and compositions ofthe volatile C₆-compounds formed, which are the factors thatcontrol the quality of the raw leaves processed for green tea. (Received October 6, 1983; Accepted December 20, 1983)