Effect of edible flower fortification on sensory quality and phytochemical composition of green tea (Camellia sinensis) infusions

Abstract

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a globally consumed beverage recognized for its rich phytochemical profile and associated health benefits. Herbal and floral infusions have gained increasing attention as functional beverages due to their ability to deliver bioactive plant compounds that may mitigate oxidative stress and metabolic disorders. The present study aimed to compare the sensory attributes and phytochemical composition of conventional green tea and a value-added floral green tea formulated with green tea (60%), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, 20%), and marigold (Tagetes erecta, 20%) petals in a 3:1:1 ratio, prepared using both hot and cold infusion methods. Control green tea (GT) and floral green tea (FGT) infusions were evaluated for sensory characteristics and biochemical constituents, including reducing sugars, protein, total phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, and caffeoylquinic acid. Sensory evaluation revealed that value-added FGT, prepared by both hot and cold infusion methods, received significantly higher scores for appearance, color, aroma, taste, flavor, and overall acceptability compared to GT. Phytochemical analysis showed that hot-infused FGT exhibited increased reducing sugar (0.243 mg g⁻¹) and protein content (28.27 mg g⁻¹) relative to hot GT. However, a reduction in polyphenol-related compounds was observed in FGT, with decreases in total phenolic content (from 251.67 to 161.34 mg GAE g⁻¹), total tannins (from 33.05 to 22.87 mg TAE g⁻¹), total flavonoids (from 1.44 to 0.75 mg QE g⁻¹), and caffeoylquinic acid (from 1.907 to 1.08 mg CGAE g⁻¹). Similar trends were observed in cold-infused samples, except for reducing sugars and protein that remained higher in floral formulations. Hence, the incorporation of edible hibiscus and marigold petals enhances the sensory quality and nutritional attributes of green tea while retaining substantial bioactive potential. Value-added floral green tea may therefore represent a promising functional beverage with improved consumer acceptability and potential health benefits.