Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 235-248 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 241 say, "One day earlier is treasure, one day later is grass." Although this saying is somewhat exaggerated, it reflects an important fact: the quality of Anji White Tea depends heavily on harvesting during the optimal spring period rather than throughout the entire spring season. Figure 2 Workflow of integrated transcriptomic and untargeted metabolomic analyses for seasonal variation in tea shoots (Adapted from Jiang et al., 2023) The albino stage is the key period for quality formation. Zeng et al. (2020) compared the chemical composition of fresh leaves collected during the albino stage and the subsequent re-greening stage. Even within the spring season, clear differences in quality were observed between these harvest periods. Leaves collected during the albino stage contained higher concentrations of amino acids and several aroma precursors, while bitter and astringent compounds remained relatively low. As a result, the processed green tea showed a fresher taste, cleaner aroma, and smoother mouthfeel. As temperatures continued to rise during spring, the leaves gradually turned green, the concentration of freshness-related compounds declined, and bitter compounds increased. Even under identical processing conditions, the resulting tea showed lower freshness and a weaker tender aroma. These quality changes are closely associated with the leaf albinism process. Low spring temperatures temporarily inhibit normal chloroplast development, causing the leaves to appear pale green or creamy white while promoting the accumulation of amino acids. This physiological response gives Anji White Tea its characteristic fresh and delicate taste. As temperatures increase, chloroplast development resumes, the leaves regain their green color, and the tea plants return to normal growth. At the same time, the chemical composition of the fresh leaves changes accordingly. Therefore, for Anji White Tea, the highest quality depends not simply on harvesting in spring but on harvesting during the peak albino stage. 4.3 Wuniuzao-why is early harvest so important Wuniuzao is one of the earliest-sprouting green tea cultivars in Zhejiang Province. It originated in Wuniu Town, Yongjia County, Wenzhou, and is one of the first tea cultivars to enter the spring market each year. Compared with conventional green tea cultivars such as Longjing 43, the main advantage of Wuniuzao is not a stronger flavor but its exceptionally early bud break. Harvesting usually begins from late February to early March, approximately one
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