Objective  Aromatic quality and chemicals of Fuzhou Dabaihao Jasmine Tea produced in different years were compared to determine the shelf life and quality changes of the product.

Method A sensory panel was employed for qualitative assessment, and the headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for quantitative aromatics determination of the tea made in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Result The tea made in 2023 was judged to be the best in aroma, while the 2021 product showed a significant decline on freshness. Quantitatively, the newer tea also had the greatest total content of aromatics at 5,846.79μg·g^-1, which was 28.71% higher than the 2022 product and 41.68% higher than the 2021 product. The aromatic composition of the tea made in different years varied significantly with 42 differential compounds identified (p＜0.05, VIP＞1). The characteristic aromatics, such as benzyl acetate, linalool, α-farnesene, benzyl alcohol, cis-3-hexenol benzoate, methyl anthranilate, methyl salicylate, and indole were significantly higher in the tea made in 2023 than those produced in 2022 and 2021. The 42 differential aromatics positively correlated with the intensity, freshness, and lasting time of the tea aroma. And of those, 36, 30, and 34 compounds displayed a correlation coefficient greater than 0.8.

Conclusion The sensory quality and volatile contents of the Fuzhou Dabaihao Jasmine Tea made in 2021-2023 varied. The optimal time for consumption of the tea was found to be 12 months after processing, and the shelf life approximately 18 months.