Widely targeted metabolomics bridges the sensory characteristics and bioactive components of three typical Lonicera japonica flower tea.

Lonicera japonica Thunb. (LJ) teas have unique flavor and health benefits, which derived from food and medical homology. However, their material basis and flavor characteristics were still unclear, and three typical teas were selected to explore herein. 557 metabolites classified as 9 types were identified based on metabolomics, and organic acids, flavonoids and terpenoids were the main contributors. Specifically, black tea has the deepest color and the weakest bitterness, followed by yellow tea, and green tea. Organic acids, including phenolic acids like chlorogenic acid, were positively correlated with fresh greenness and bitter taste. Flavonoid glycosides like luteolin 7-glucoside were closely positively correlated with astringency. Most importantly, as the unique bioactive components in LJ, iridoids contributed their distinctive flavors and could be regarded as important quality indicators. These findings provide theoretical basis and technical support for quality control and process optimization of LJ teas.