Dynamic Variation Analysis of Antioxidant Substances in Flue-cured Tobacco Strips from Different Producing Areas during Aging

The contents of carotenoid, polyphenol and vitamin C of flue-cured tobacco strips of upper and middle leaves from six raw material bases, China Tobacco Guizhou Industrial Co., Ltd, were analyzed, to study the trend of antioxidant substances of different producing areas and leaf positions during the process of aging. The results showed that, during aging, the decomposition of antioxidant substances was mainly oxidative decomposition, and the contents of carotenoids, polyphenol and vitamin C showed trends of declining. Carotenoids decomposition occurred mainly in 12-21th months while polyphenol and vitamin C decomposition occurred manly in 0-12th months. Contents of polyphenol and vitamin C showed a significant positive linear correlation. The degradation of lutein and β-carotene in tobacco strips was faster in Liangshan Sichuan, Sanming Fujian and Zunyi Guizhou, after aging for 12-18 and 18-21 months. The degradation of Chlorogenic acid, rutin and Vitamin C in flue-cured tobacco strips was fatser in Baoshan Yunnan, Sanming Fujian and Liangshan Sichuan during 0-6 months of aging, and was the fastest in Zunyi Guizhou after aging for 6-18 months. Correlation analysis indicated that there was close relationships between the speed of degradation and transformation of antioxidant substances and the producing areas and aroma type of flue-cured tobacco strips.