Black Tea Oxidation Process

White tea is 1 10 oxidized.

Black tea oxidation process. 3 chlorophylls are converted to pheophytins and pheophorbides pigments that lend to the black brown color of dry oxidized tea leaves during oxidation and lipids amino acids and carotenoids degrade to produce some of tea s flavor. This is untrue as oxidation halts when the right parameters are reached. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor than other teas. Theaflavins provide tea with its briskness and bright taste as well as its yellow color 2 and thearubigins provide tea with depth body and its reddish color.

Oolong teas cover the range between the two extremes. In its most general form tea processing involves different manners and degrees of oxidation of the leaves stopping the oxidation forming the tea and drying it. Tea processing is the method in which the leaves from the tea plant camellia sinensis are transformed into the dried leaves for brewing tea. Wu long tea is 10 85 oxidized.

Oxidation occurs when the leaves remain exposed to the air for a long time. For example in black tea this process is usually controlled to maintain a ratio of theaflavins and thearubigins of around 1 10 to 1 12. Black teas are high in tannins and brew up a reddish amber color. Black tea is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong yellow white and green teas.

Two principal varieties of the species are used the small leaved chinese variety plant c. Sinensis used for most other types of teas and. The categories of tea are distinguished by the processing they undergo. This reaction causes the leaves to turn dark brown and allows the flavors to heighten and.

After harvesting black tea leaves go through a process of wilting bruising rolling and oxidation. To make black tea the leaves are first rolled and then exposed to air to trigger the oxidation process. Different tea categories have different levels of oxidization changing the taste. Put simply green tea is roasted quickly to prevent oxidation while black tea is allowed to oxidize fully turning brown before roasting.

Red tea known as black tea in the west is 100 oxidized. Green tea is not oxidized. Black teas are often macerated during the oxidation process allowing all parts of the tea leaves to be exposed to air and fully darken. Oxidation is the process that produces the color coded categories we know in the west.

Oxidation in tea categories. Black teas are fully oxidized resulting in a dark rich cup of tea that is high in caffeine. They typically mean oxidation. In the past oxidation was often inaccurately called fermentation although the term fermentation was in widespread use for a long time it is misleading as there is no true fermentation involving yeast or other microorganisms happening when tea oxidizes.

Varying levels of oxidation are one of the main characteristics that. 2 black tea fully oxidized. The enzymes in the leaf mix with oxygen to oxidize.