Plucking Standards
The quality of tea begins with how the leaves are plucked. The best-quality tea comes from the bud and the first two leaves, which are rich in polyphenols and caffeine. Lower leaves and stems have higher fiber content and lower levels of desirable compounds. A standard of plucking ensures that the best raw material is used for tea production.
Transport and Handling
Proper handling of tea leaves from the time they are plucked is essential to maintaining their quality. Care must be taken to avoid bruising or overheating the leaves during transport to the factory. Mechanical damage to the leaves can lead to premature fermentation, which affects the flavor and quality of the final product.
Quality Control
Once the leaves arrive at the factory, they undergo a process of analysis to ensure they meet the required standards. Leaf samples are taken, and the shoots are categorized based on their composition. This step is critical to ensuring the raw material used in tea production is of the highest quality, resulting in a superior final product.