Characterization of L-theanine in tea extracts and synthetic products using stable isotope ratio analysis.

L-theanine involves a great number of health benefits and dietary supplements containing this molecule are becoming increasingly popular. There is, therefore, a growing need to find ways to discriminate between natural L-theanine extracted from tea leaves and the cheaper, synthetic one obtained using specific bacterial enzymes. A first attempt of stable isotope ratio analysis characterization of the possible synthetic adulterant L-theanine (δC of -14.3 ± 1.5‰), obtained from vegetable substrates with C4 photosynthetic cycle, and of the more expensive natural L-theanine (δC of -24.4 ± 1.3‰), extracted from Camellia sinensis plants with C3 photosynthetic cycle, is reported here.