Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Plucked Tea Leaves

Abstract

Plucked tea leaves were stored for 15-21 days at 2-5°C in the atmosphere of nitrogen with combinations of 2, 5, 10 and 21% O₂, and 0, 5 and 10% CO₂. The tea leaves from 5-10% O₂ and 5% CO₂ levels retained the best overall quality throughout this CA storage test. From the organoleptic test, no deterioration of the tea that were made from tea leaves stored in this CA condition for ten days, was observed. The decrease of oxygen concentraion in the atmosphere depressed oxygen uptake of tea leaves and caused the increase of respiratory quotient (RQ) remarkably. The tea leaves from the 2% O₂ atmosphere developed the bad odor after the storage of 7 days. In an atmosphere of high CO₂ concentration (10%), no injury of the stored leaves was observed but the decomposition of ascorbic acid in the leaves was accelerated.