Tea seed (TS), as the mature fruit and growth source of tea plant, has been characterized with appealing bioactive substances, remarkable health benefits and diverse application prospects. As one of the most significant products of TS, tea seed oil (TSO) has gained recognition as the “oriental olive oil”.
What is tea seed?
1. Introduction Tea seed (TS), derived from the tea plant ( Camellia Sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze), is the mature fruit and original point responsible for the propagation and multiplication of the plant. Through a growth period of 4–6 years, tea plant transitions into the maturation stage ( Zhang et al., 2023 ).
Are tea seed meal and tea seed shell a low-value by-product?
Tea seed meal (TSM) and tea seed shell (TSS) continue to be underutilized and are usually considered as low-value by-products. Nevertheless, current exploration of the underlying mechanisms is inadequate, and investigations concerning deep processing and potential prospects still remain at their infancy.
What makes Tso a good tea?
In addition to bioactivity, tea polyphenols constitute the specific slightly-bitter favor with a sweet aftertaste, and the astringency of phenols enriches the mouthfeel ( Nie, 2020 ). This contributes to the distinctive flavor of TSO, bringing consumers more particular sensual experience.