Influence of Jasmine Tea Scenting Cycles on Volatile Transfer and Sensory Quality in Light Milk Tea

Jasmine tea, a traditionally scented tea, has increasingly been used as a base ingredient for emerging tea beverages such as light milk tea. However, how variations in scenting intensity affect aroma characteristics in complex milk matrices remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of scenting cycles (1 to 3 rounds) on the sensory characteristics and volatile profiles of jasmine teas and their corresponding light milk teas. Sensory characteristics were evaluated by a trained panel using descriptive sensory analysis, while volatile profiles were characterized using HS-SPME-GC-MS-based flavor omics. Results showed that increasing scenting cycles significantly enhanced aroma intensity, freshness, and persistence in pure tea infusions. However, sensory differences between two- and three-scented teas largely converged after incorporation into the milk matrix. Volatile profiling revealed that the milk system markedly attenuated compositional differences originating from the tea base. Transfer factor analysis identified esters and ketones as the most stably retained compound classes, with methyl anthranilate, linalool, and benzyl alcohol defined as core transfer compounds. Importantly, the conventional jasmine tea flavor index was effective for pure jasmine tea evaluation but failed to capture aroma quality in milk tea, highlighting the necessity for a matrix-specific evaluation framework. This study provides an integrated framework for flavor assessment that bridges traditional tea processing and modern beverage development.