Abstract
Tea is made from the processed leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, which is a tropical and subtropical evergreen plant native to Asia. Behind water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. Factors that affect tea brewing include brewing temperature, vessel, and time, water-to-leaf ratio, and, in some reports, the composition of the water used. In this project, we tested if the water used to brew tea was sufficient to influence perceived flavor to the everyday tea drinker. Black and green tea were brewed with bottled, tap, and deionized water, with brewing temperature, vessel, time, and the water-to-leaf ratio matched. The samples were analyzed with a human consumer sensory panel, as well as instrumentally for color, turbidity, and Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) content. Results showed that the type of water used to brew tea drastically affected sensory properties of green tea (and mildly also for black tea), which was likely driven by a much greater degree of extraction of bitter catechins in teas brewed with more purified bottled or deionized water. For the everyday tea drinker who drinks green tea for health, the capability to double the EGCG content in tea by simply brewing with bottled or deionized water represents a clear advantage. Conversely, those drinking tea for flavor may benefit from instead brewing tea with tap water.
Highlights
Water, black tea brewed in tap (BT), bottled (BB), green tea brewed in tap (GT), bottled (GB), and deionized (GD) water, black tea brewed in tap (BT), and deionized (BD)
Samples as be black tea brewed in tap bottled (BB), and Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) content for black tea in ppm
Samples denoted as black tea brewed in tap (BT), bottled (BB), deionized (BD) water
Summary
There are many other plants used for extraction such as rooibos and chamomile, these are not strictly teas. Instead, they are classified under the category of tisanes or herbal infusions. The main difference between various styles of tea is the level of oxidation of the leaf during processing. A cup of tea is made from processed fresh tea leaves. Biochemical changes that occur during processing help reduce the bitter taste of fresh tea leaves. Processing the tea leaves lowers water content to aid in shelf stability, deactivates enzymes, and adds sweetness and a myriad of colors to the cup. After withering, the leaves are purposefully crushed to speed oxidation
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