2013.02.21
How to Determine Green Tea Quality
Late April is the period when the first generation of green tea of the year or what Japanese people call “Shincha”「新茶」is harvested. Kagoshima is the city which cuts tea leaves earliest in Japan. Kagoshima-cha organization is where the country’s large tea manufacturers gather together. They compile the tea leaves which have been cut and bid on them each time. The ones who do the bidding are experts in the tea manufacturing industry, tea manufacturers and tea sellers. They are both Japanese and foreign people.
There are 2 criteria for the determination of the quality of tea leaves:
1) The consideration of appearance based on human observation, which can be divided into 2 aspects as follows:
1.1 The shape, color, luster and weight of tea leaves: Good-quality tea leaves will have consistent shape and length. The leaves are dark green. When touching them, the surface of the leaves will be sleek and shiny. The good tea leaves also have proper weight.
1.2 The characteristics, smell, color and flavor of tea: Each type of green tea leaves will be poured in a white bowl and some boiled water will be added to it. The criteria for the consideration will vary depending on the variants and the types of tea.
2) The use of near infrared spectroscopy to examine the amount of nitrogen, humidity, caffeine, catechin, vitamin C, amino acids, etc. in the tea leaves
In September, a national green tea quality contest will be held every year. The experts in the green tea industry in Japan will be the judges using the criteria as mentioned in point 1 above. The top 3 tea leaves which have the highest overall scores will receive a certification from the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
This is the award that brings pride to those who devote themselves to work from the caring of tea plants in the plantation to the meticulousness of every process in the factories of such manufacturers. The award-winning green tea leaves will be increasingly demanded by people in the industry. The price will also rise.
