{
  "abstract": "In this study, fresh leaves of the same Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze cv. Qilan cultivar grown at similar elevations but contrasting latitudes in Wuyishan, Fujian (the 2L-FQ cultivation site), and Baisha, Hainan (the 2L-HQ cultivation site), were systematically compared using environmental characterization, enzyme activity assays, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), and untargeted metabolomics. Black teas produced from the two groups of fresh leaves under identical standardized processing conditions were further evaluated using electronic nose and electronic tongue analyses. Correspondingly, 2L-HQ leaves were longer and wider than 2L-FQ leaves, with higher moisture content and water activity. The lower L*, b*, and chroma values of 2L-HQ, together with a ΔE*ab of 6.54, indicated a darker leaf appearance, which was accompanied by higher chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations. Compared with 2L-FQ, 2L-HQ contained 11.8% more tea polyphenols, 26.4% more soluble polysaccharides, 11.4% more caffeine, and 10.6% more free amino acids. The non-gallated catechins catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, and gallocatechin were significantly enriched in 2L-HQ. DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP antioxidant capacities were also 6.1%, 4.9%, and 2.2% higher in 2L-HQ, respectively. Lipoxygenase, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase activities increased by 137.0%, 98.0%, and 93.8%, respectively, whereas β-glucosidase activity remained unchanged. GC-IMS resolved 61 volatile compounds, of which 46 differed significantly between the two origins. 2L-FQ was enriched in several aromatic aldehydes, β-phenyl ethanol, and fruity esters, whereas 2L-HQ contained higher levels of selected alcohols, unsaturated aldehydes, furanic compounds, and lipid-derived esters. Untargeted metabolomics retained 4359 metabolic features, of which 4356 were shared by both groups. After multiple-testing correction, 793 differential metabolic features were identified using VIP > 1, FDR-adjusted p < 0.05, and |log₂FC| > 1, including 420 features with higher abundance and 373 features with lower abundance in 2L-HQ relative to 2L-FQ. These differential features were mainly associated with carbohydrate, amino acid, flavonoid-related, lipid, and cofactor metabolism. Overall, regional cultivation was associated with coordinated differences in leaf morphology, hydration, pigmentation, taste-related composition, antioxidant capacity, oxidative-enzyme potential, volatile fingerprints, and metabolic allocation, providing a data foundation for region-adapted processing of Qilan tea leaves.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "HNU-HSF Collaborative Innovation Laboratory, College of Food Sciences & Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.",
    "Hainan University Research Development Office, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.",
    "Hainan State Farms Tropical Products Industry Group Co., Ltd., Haikou 570226, China."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Longbin Zhong",
      "orcid": "0009-0002-0202-0032"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Chanyi Xie"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Mingchang Yang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yibo Hu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Tianhang Huan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Zhigang Guang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xia Xie"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yiyi Yin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Haiming Chen",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8985-2538"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Rongrong He"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dad6vdq0h20jy.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/foods15193478",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13664276",
  "id": "dad6vdq0h20jy",
  "issns": [
    "2304-8158"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883586",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2734|Tea Polyphenols and Effects"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214724520",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13664276?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13664276",
  "pmid": "42883586",
  "published": "2026-09-29",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dad6vdq0h20jy.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42883586",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883586"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2734|Tea Polyphenols and Effects",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Untargeted Metabolomics and GC-IMS Reveal Quality-Related Differences in Qilan Fresh Tea Leaves Grown in Wuyi and Baisha.",
  "title_text": "Untargeted Metabolomics and GC-IMS Reveal Quality-Related Differences in Qilan Fresh Tea Leaves Grown in Wuyi and Baisha.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dad6vdq0h20jy",
  "venue": "Foods (Basel, Switzerland)",
  "versions": []
}