Storing Green Oolong Tea - Why It Is Harder

by Julian
(Horsham)

Why greener oolong tea keeps fresh shorter. Storing them properly is important.

Generally speaking, the less oxidised the tea, the more easily it loses its quality.

Hence green tea can store for a shorter period of time than oolong tea.

One explanation is the greener the oolong tea, the wetter it is.

Moisture content can be "dried" away, so it is not a direct cause.

Since green oolong tea is more unoxidised, it has more unoxdised polyphenols (called catechins). They interact with moisture, oxygen in the air.

At room temperature, this "natural oxidation" can result in rapid quality loss.