The storage of tea

Environmental Factors

1. Temperature Chemical changes of oxidation and polymerization are closely related t temperature, the higher the temperature the quicker the reactions. I was confirmed that rate of tea browning was increased by 3 to 5 time when temperature is raised by 10 ℃.
2. Moisture Alimentary scientific theory revealed that components in absolutel dried foods were directly exposed to the air and easily be oxidized b oxygen in the air. When water molecules were aggregated with foo components by hydrogen bonding, there formed a single molecular layer the food seemed to be covered by a protection film. When tea moistur was about 3%, this single molecular protection film was formed. So th lipids in the tea were separated from oxygen in the air and prevente from oxidization by the film. On the contrary, when the moisture conten was above this level, the water played a role of solvent instead of protection film.

3.Oxygen Oxygen can aggregate with almost every element and form an oxidize product. But oxygen in the air is most commonly found in molecular for and therefore not very active.

1. Illumination Light itself is a kind of energy. Illumination can increase the energ level of the whole system illuminated and is detrimental to tea storage

Storage of Bulk Tea

1. Quick Lime storage method This method is commonly used in storing staples of premium teas such a Longjing Tea, Dongting Biluochun, Huangshan Maofeng. Quick lime is use as a desiccating agent to keep the tea dry and to delay th deterioration of the tea. A sealed pottery container with a big bell but small mouth is usually used.
2. Charcoal Storage Method This method is commonly used in storing Oolong tea and sometimes Congo Black tea. Its principle and method are almost the same as quick lim storage method. The fully fired charcoal is covered with a fire pan o an earthen basin so that the fire goes out. 100 g of the prepare charcoal is wrapped in a clean cotton cloth and put in a pottery jar o an iron sheet bucket. The jar or bucket is then filled with the te wrapped in craft paper and sealed up.
3. Vacuum and nitrogen-aerated Packing Method This is a main storage method of famous teas for recent years especially small packed famous teas. The tea to be stored is dried fo up to three to five percent of moisture content and filled in a bag mad of plastic and aluminium compound foil. The bag containing tea is the vacuumed up, refilled with nitrogen gas and then sealed.

Family storage of Tea

1.pottery Jar Storage Feng Mengzheng described in "Kuai Xue Tang Man Lu" that a big jar wit bamboo leaves at the bottom was filled with tea, sealed and place upside down to prevent gas leaking; the tea would not turn yellow eve after summer. For home storage of small quantities of tea nowadays, te with moisture content less than 6% is wrapped in craft paper and place inside a pottery jar. Quick lime wrapped in cloth was placed at th center of the tea packages. The quantity of quick lime depends on th quantity of tea.

1. Tin Storage Method This method is simple and popular. The clean, commercial galvanized iro tin is widely used. To keep dry, a parcel of silica gel is put inside a a desiccating agent.
2. Plastic Bag Storage method Due to lower cost and easy usage,plastic bags in various assortments ar the most popular packing materials for tea nowadays. Storing tea i plastic bags is one of the simplest and most economical methods in hom storage. It is important to choose appropriate plastic bag materials First, plastic bags special for food packing instead of other non-foo packing plastic bags should be chosen. Second, the density of th plastic materials should be higher; low-pressure plastics are bette than high-pressure ones. Third, its strength should be appropriate an it is better to choose a stronger one. Fourth, it should be free o contaminants and have no holes. It is better to first pack tea wit clean soft paper and then into the plastic bags