Analysis of China’s Tea Science Research Trends Based on Research Papers in the Journal of the Tea Society (2015-2024)

This study analyzes tea science research trends and developments in China over a 10-year period by examining 754 research papers published in the Journal of Tea Science (茶叶科学) from 2015 to 2024. The primary objective is to identify key research areas, assess contributions by institutions and scholars, and forecast future directions in tea science. The study employs keyword analysis and categorization by academic disciplines, research institutions, and authors to determine the evolving focus of tea science research. The findings indicate that research in tea science has predominantly focused on tea plant science (50.7%), tea chemistry (20.5%), tea processing (13.6%), tea utilization (7.3%), tea evaluation (5.1%), and the tea industry (2.8%). Among these, tea plant science and tea chemistry emerged as the most actively studied fields. In terms of institutional contributions, the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (214 papers), the Hunan Agricultural University (90 papers), and the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (72 papers) were identified as the leading research institutions. Looking ahead, tea science research is expected to expand beyond traditional agricultural studies, incorporating smart technology applications, functional tea research, digital tea industry development, and integration with global tea markets. The field is anticipated to evolve through interdisciplinary approaches, moving beyond conventional agricultural research to embrace industrial, economic, and technological perspectives.