Effects of leaf handling on plain black tea quality parameters
1997
Owuor, P.O. | Obanda, M.
Build up of heat post-plucking and prior to maceration of the leaf, reduces plain black tea quality as assessed by the levels of theaflavins, thearubigins, brightness and total colour. Tea leaf which had gone "red" on the withering through produced black teas with low theaflavins and brightness but high thearubigins and total colour. Sensory evaluations of such teas were low and tasters described the teas as thick and muddy. Such quality reductions were recorded in both clones 31/8 and S 15/10. Mixing such "bad leaf" with "good leaf" resulted in quality midway between the two extremes. Addition of up to 10% bad leaf to good leaf resulted in insignificant quality reduction
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