Brewing strategy modulates volatile and phenolic extraction, shaping sensory perception in tea and fruit infusions

This study investigated the impact of brewing strategy on volatile composition, phenolic extraction and sensory perception of tea and fruit infusion beverages. Green tea, dark tea and a fruit infusion were prepared using three extraction methods (Pure Brew, Gaiwan and French Press). Volatile profiles were characterized by HS-SPME-GC–MS, sensory properties were evaluated by descriptive analysis and chemical-sensory relationships were explored using multivariate statistics. Principal component analysis showed that botanical matrix and oxidation degree were the primary drivers of volatile fingerprint differentiation, explaining 85.6% of total variance, while extraction method modulated the relative abundance of specific aroma-active compounds. Pure Brew selectively enhanced terpene- and ester-derived volatiles, resulting in higher perceived sweetness and aromatic clarity, with reduced astringency. In contrast, Gaiwan and French Press promoted higher phenolic and flavonoid extraction, leading to more structured sensory profiles and increased astringency, particularly in dark tea samples. Partial least squares regression (R²X = 0.835; R²Y = 0.735) identified ester- and furan-derived compounds as key drivers of sweetness perception, while aldehydes and phenolic-related compounds were associated with astringency. Overall, brewing strategy emerges as an effective tool to modulate volatile and phenolic extraction, fshaping sensory perception in tea and fruit infusions.