The Chemistry of Tea Manufacture

The chemical changes that occur in the various stages of tea manufacture were. until recently, imperfectly known. Research in this direction would help not only in improving the existing methods of manufacture, but also in the solution of any ... fresh problems as they arise. In order to render the present manufacturing practices scientific rather than empirical, a thorough knowledge of the chemical and physical changes that take place during the various stages of its manufacture is very essential. The chief constituents of tea are, caffeine, tea catechins, pectins, proteins, carbo­ hydrates, leaf pigments, vitamins, essential oils and mineral matter. Our present knowledge of these constituents of tea and the changes that they undergo during the processing of tea is briefly summarised in this article.