Polyphenols in seventeen Yunnan flue-cured tobacco leaves were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).The major seven tobacco polyphenols were quantitatively determined.HPLC polyphenol profiles were processed by pattern recognition(PRM).The values of color similarity criterion TK among these tobacco leaves were calculated and compared with human organoleptic color assessment.It was shown that data from PRM based on HPLC profiles of polyphenols could be used to quantitatively characterize color similarity among Yunnan tobacco leaves of different grades.The results by PRM and by organoleptic assessment were compatible.The former was more objective.
