Determination and quality evaluation of green tea extracts through qualitative and quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS)

• QAMS may be more effective and practicable than normal external standard method.
• The verified QAMS could be an alternative and promising method for quality control.
• The inherent quality was distinct between the extracts from different origins.
• Hierarchical cluster analysis and canonical discriminant analysis were employed.
• Taguchi Design was introduced to evaluate the fluctuations and applicability of QAMS.

The quality of tea is mainly attributed to tea polyphenols and caffeine. In this paper, a new strategy for quality evaluation of green tea extracts was explored and verified through qualitative and quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS). Taguchi Design was introduced to evaluate the fluctuations of the relative conversion factors (fx) of tea catechins, gallic acid and caffeine to epigallocatechin gallate. The regression model (Sig. = 0.000) and the deviations (R2 > 0.999) between QAMS and normal external standard method proved the consistency of the two methods. Hierarchical cluster analysis and canonical discriminant analysis were employed to classify 26 batches of commercial Longjing green tea extracts (LJGTEs) collected from different producers. The results showed a significant difference in component profile between the samples from different origins. The QAMS method was verified to be an alternative and promising method to comprehensively and effectively control the quality of LJGTEs from different origins.