虫茶是我国特有的林业资源昆虫产品,其营养成分丰富且具有多种保健作用.本文对湘黔地区常见的3种虫茶品种即米白虫茶、三叶虫茶和紫白虫茶的形态学进行了系统研究.结果表明:3种虫茶颗粒基本形状均为圆柱状;米白虫茶颗粒颜色与紫白虫茶相近,但深于三叶虫茶;三叶虫茶长短径、体积和重量均较大,紫白虫茶其次,米白虫茶最小;三叶虫茶汤色为红暗,紫白虫茶为棕红,米白虫茶为橙色;寄主植物三叶海棠香气为清香,白茶香气为鲜甜,而3种虫茶香气均为陈香;三叶虫茶滋味苦涩、回甘,米白虫茶醇和,紫白虫茶醇厚、回甘.
Insect tea,characterized in high nutrition and health function,is a unique forest resource insect product in China.Currently,the morphological characters of three common insect tea,i.e.Aglossa dimidiata-Litsea coreana insect tea (ALIT for short),Sanye insect-fermented tea (SIFT for short) and Pyralis farinali-Litsea coreana insect tea (PLIT for short) were systematically investigated in Hunan-Guizhou area.The result showed that the basic shape of three kinds of insect tea was cylindrical; The color of ALIT and PLIT were similar and darker than that of SIFT.Particles of SIFT ranked the first in size,volume and weight,followed by PLIT,and the last ALIT.The liquor color of SIFT was dull red,PLIT was brownish red,and ALIT was orange.The aroma of Malus sieboldii was fen-flavor and that of Litsea coreana was fresh and sweet,but the three insect tea products were stale flavor.The taste of SIFT was bitterness and sweet,that of ALIT was pure and mild,and PLIT taste was mellow and sweet.