Matcha in foods: processing changes its key compounds
What it found
How matcha is processed and mixed into foods changes its catechins, caffeine, theanine and chlorophyll, which can alter its health value, taste and safety.
The evidence comes from lab tests, animal studies and a small number of human studies.
What they found
Studies in people
Human studies are limited
Some human studies found matcha improved fat oxidation, gut bacteria and attention, but others found no clear difference from controls. Most human studies were small and short.
Animal and lab studies
Gut bacteria and matcha
In lab tests, gut bacteria break down catechins into smaller compounds that may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Human gut bacteria differ between people, so effects may vary.
Other findings
Shade growing changes matcha
Matcha is grown under shade for about 20 to 30 days before harvest. This raises chlorophyll, amino acids and caffeine, and lowers catechins, which makes it less bitter but can lower its antioxidant compounds.
Baking destroys catechins
In biscuits baked at about 180 °C, catechin content fell by about 20% and caffeine by about 24%. Baking above 160 to 180 °C typically causes catechin losses of 15% to 30%.
Heat changes catechin shape
Heating converts some catechins into related forms called epimers. These keep their antioxidant power but may work differently in the body, so antioxidant tests alone do not show full function.
Caffeine survives processing
Caffeine is heat stable and is largely retained during baking, drying and storage. Its level in matcha powder varies with cultivar, shading, harvest time and quality.
What the authors conclude
“Collectively, the available evidence indicates that the functional value of matcha in foods is strongly influenced by processing-matrix interactions rather than native composition alone, leading to trade-offs among health functionality, consumer acceptance, and safety.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say the functional value of matcha in foods depends more on how it is processed and mixed with other ingredients than on its natural make-up.
- They propose a framework to help design matcha-containing foods and to make sure health claims match what actually survives processing.
- They call for larger, well-designed human trials using standard matcha preparations and longer follow-up to confirm the effects seen in animals and lab tests.
How it was done
The authors say most reviews have looked at matcha's make-up or health effects on its own, but not at what happens to its compounds once matcha is put into real foods. They wanted to see how processing and food ingredients affect matcha's stability, release in the gut and health value.
The authors pulled together studies on matcha processing, its compounds and its health effects, published between 1997 and 2026. They focused on studies about matcha in foods, including lab tests, animal studies and human studies.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the findings come from lab tests and animal studies, so they cannot show what happens in people.
- The human studies were mostly small and short, so they cannot prove that matcha causes any long-term health effect.
- This is a review of other studies, so it cannot provide new data on how matcha affects health.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Ministry of Education (MOE), Republic of Korea; Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
- Authors work at
- Ankara University, Türkiye; Atatürk University, Türkiye; Cairo University, Egypt
The paper
- Title
- Beyond Composition: Processing-Driven Transformations and Functional Trade-Offs of Matcha Tea in Foods
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Onder A, Warda M, Yılmaz O, Bae J, Abd El-Aty AM (2026). Beyond Composition: Processing-Driven Transformations and Functional Trade-Offs of Matcha Tea in Foods. Foods (Basel, Switzerland). doi:10.3390/foods15162782Free full textPubMed 42650476DOI
Summary written 29 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error