Innovative Green Tea Mate: Physicochemical Profile and Sensory Aspects

erba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a plant originating from South America. From this plant, mate a drink is produced. Brazil is the first mate producer in the world. The diffusion of mate is mainly limited to the native regions of South America, as it is consumed with cuia and bombilla. Trying to expand mate culture and export it towards Europe makes it necessary to offer this drink in a new guise that sets it apart from traditional preparation patterns. In this instance, the introduction of green tea mate may represent a solution. This innovative product comes from I. paraguariensis sprouts, which are further processed and consumed as green tea from Camellia sinensis. The present study aimed to investigate the physico-chemical and nutraceutical characteristics and consumer perceptions towards the visual aspect of the innovative green tea mate (L1, L2, and L3) compared to commercial traditional Brazilian mate (CI and CB) and roasted mate (L). Moreover, a preliminary sensory evaluation with untrained panellists was carried out. Significant results were detected, highlighting the higher content of bioactive compounds in the innovative product. Total Phenolic Content (TPC) almost doubled in green tea mate (L1 117.14 mg GAE/g d.p., L2 128.10 mg GAE/g d.p., L3 126.21 mg GAE/g d.p.) compared to the other samples (CI 71.91 mg GAE/g d.p., CB 54.23 mg GAE/g d.p., L 34.16 mg GAE/g d.p.) (p < 0.05). Considering caffeine, batches L1 and L3 had a content of 3.68 mg/g d.p. and 3.58 mg/g d.p., respectively, significantly higher when compared to the amount retrieved in the CB sample, 1.57 mg/g d.p. (p < 0.05). The consumer survey demonstrated the interest of consumers towards the new product, as it was perceived similar to more commonly consumed teas, while from a sensory point of view, a vegetal and hay flavour were more defining for the product.