Determination of the geographical origin of Chinese teas based on stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios

The objective of this study was to investigate the geographical origin of Chinese teas using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio technology. The results showed that inter-provincial dispersion of teas in Guangdong (GD), Guangxi (GX), Hainan (HA), Fujian (FJ), Shandong (SD), Sichuan (SC), Chongqing (CQ), and Henan (HN) provinces was high, while in Zhejiang (ZJ), Hubei (HB), Yunnan (YN), and Anhui (AH) provinces, it was low. Tea samples from GD, GX, HA, and FJ provinces were clustered in one group and separated from those from AH and HB provinces. Thus, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio technology could discriminate teas from among some provinces of China, but not from among others. Better separation might be obtained with a combination of isotopic ratios and other indexes, such as elemental data and organic components.