Impact of storage temperature on green tea quality: an assessment based on compositional changes

BACKGROUND: Green tea contains a variety of beneficial ingredients. However, the loss of its active ingredients under improper storage conditions will reduce the overall value. In this study, H-GT (Huangshan Maofeng tea) and L-GT (Lu'an Guapian tea) were stored at 25, 8, 4, 0 and -20 °C for 300 days. The impact of different storage temperatures on green tea quality was evaluated by analyzing changes in physicochemical properties, taste-related constituents and antioxidant capacity. RESULTS: > 0.65) with specific compounds: EGCG, CAF and GC in H-GT, and EGCG, ECG, EGC, CAF, Asp and Phe in L-GT. Based on kinetic modeling of these key components, it was found that the storage stability of both teas was optimal under dry-zone (4 °C) and frozen-zone (-20 °C) conditions, which most effectively preserved their quality and bioactivity. CONCLUSION: After 300 days of storage, the dry storage zone (4 °C) not only showed excellent preservation performance but also offered lower storage costs, making it the optimal condition for the long-term storage of green tea. This study contributes to establishing a comprehensive database for dry-stored green tea under refrigeration and provides a scientific basis for low-temperature, dry-zone storage strategies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.