Use of headspace GC/MS combined with chemometric analysis to identify the geographic origins of black tea

Some black teas demand high market prices. Black tea samples (306) collected from 10 geographic origins, including China (Guxi, Likou, Jinzipai, Guichi, Dongzhi, Changning, Wuyishan, Shaowu), India (Darjeeling), and Sri Lanka (Kandy), were analyzed using headspace volatilization followed by GC/MS (HS-GC/MS). Forty-eight volatile compounds were identified. The aroma compounds were mainly identified as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and esters. Analysis of either full-spectrum data or 22 tea compounds shared among the samples with k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) and Random Forest (RF) models discriminated all origins at 100% using KNN and 95% with RF using either data set. The discrimination rates using 2 key aroma compounds (linalool and geraniol) by k-NN were 100% for nine origins, with the rate for Guxi area at 89%, because 3 samples were classified to Jinzipai. The findings support the use of HS-GC/MS combined with chemometrics as a tool to identify the origin of black tea.