The requirements for storing tea include protection from light, prevention of Odor contamination, moisture control, and odor prevention. Glass containers are odorless but transparent, making the tea inside extremely susceptible to sunlight exposure, which accelerates oxidation. Additionally, if glass jars break or are improperly placed, the tea can be damaged. Therefore, when storing tea in a glass bottle, it's important to shield it from direct sunlight.

Tea can be stored in a glass bottle, but it's important to prevent direct sunlight exposure. Here are storage methods for different types of tea:

1. Green Tea should be protected from high temperatures, light, and oxidation. It is best stored in a refrigerator. If you need to store it for over a year, place it in the freezer. Before placing tea in the refrigerator, pack an appropriate amount of tea-specific preservative in a sealed bag, and use aluminum foil packaging bags if possible.

2. Since Black Tea has undergone fermentation, it is much easier to store than green tea. Simply keep it in a sealed container and protect it from moisture and high temperatures. If possible, use Ceramic or purple clay jars for storage. When using a glass bottle, make sure to prevent direct sunlight exposure.

3. Dark tea storage primarily requires dryness and ventilation. In daily life, dark tea can easily become damp, so it needs to be kept in a dry, ventilated, and odor-free environment.

4. Unlike green tea, White Tea does not need to be stored in a refrigerator. It can be stored in a dry container with proper ventilation and protection from light.

What Are the Taboos of Storing Tea?

1. Avoid High Moisture Content

During the processing of tea, the raw materials are dried to achieve a specific moisture content in the finished product. Within a certain standard range, various components within the tea will undergo appropriate chemical reactions, enriching its nutritional content. If the moisture content is too high, the reactions between these components can be excessive, reducing the color, aroma, and taste of the tea and increasing the risk of mold growth.

Therefore, both before packaging and during storage, the moisture content of the tea must be controlled. For the former, this can be achieved through instrument testing and by ensuring the packaging material and preservation techniques maintain the dryness of the tea. For the latter, a dry storage environment and suitable storage containers and methods should be provided.

2. Avoid Contact with Strong Odors

Tea is highly susceptible to absorbing odors, and industry professionals know that during tea production, the surrounding environment should be free of strong-smelling objects like garlic, ginger, and onions. When storing tea, contact with strong odors should also be avoided. On one hand, the tea itself can absorb these odors, leading to off-flavors. On the other hand, these odors can cause the tea to spoil.

Given the strong odor-absorbing properties of tea, care must be taken to avoid contact with strong-smelling objects from the time of raw material collection through production, packaging, and storage.

3. Avoid High Temperatures

The components within tea continue to undergo changes even after the tea is processed into its final form, albeit at a slower rate. High temperatures can accelerate these chemical changes, so the environmental temperature must be considered. The storage temperature for tea should ideally be around 5-10°C, and it can be stored in the refrigerator for this purpose.

4. Avoid Sunlight Exposure

Although tea is processed into dry leaves, it still contains chlorophyll, which continues to oxidize, causing the tea to darken. According to photosynthesis principles, sunlight promotes the oxidation of chlorophyll. If dry tea is left in a place where it is exposed to light, the oxidation reaction of the chlorophyll in the tea will occur more rapidly, with severe consequences.

Sunlight can also affect the aroma of tea. The aromatic compounds in tea can also undergo oxidation reactions under the influence of sunlight, which can accelerate the degradation of the tea. Therefore, when storing tea, it is important to shield it from light.