Specialized Tea Germplasm for Food Innovation: Chemical Signatures, Quality Formation, Processing Stability, and Functional Product Development

Specialized tea germplasm provides an important raw-material foundation for differentiated tea-based food innovation. These resources include anthocyanin-, amino acid-, catechin-, alkaloid-, and aroma-specialized germplasm, each offering distinct chemical signatures and product-development potential. This review summarizes the classification of specialized tea germplasm and discusses how its key traits are shaped by biosynthetic regulation, genotype – environment interactions, and postharvest processing. The health-related potential of specialized tea-based products is evaluated in relation to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, metabolic regulation, antiproliferative activity, neurocognitive and ocular outcomes, and other emerging areas. From a food development perspective, specialized germplasm can support anthocyanin-rich beverages, high-theanine teas, catechin-rich ingredients, naturally low-caffeine products, aromatic teas, fermented foods, and other value-added formulations. Successful translation requires coordinated control of sensory quality, color and aroma stability, processing compatibility, shelf-life, safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. Overall, this review provides an integrated framework for linking specialized tea germplasm with quality formation, processing stability, health potential, and functional food product development.