Submitted to: Vivek Sir MUHSIN K P

Roll No:872
Bcs (H) Zoology
Hindu College

Tea (morphology, processing, uses)

Botanical name: Camellia sinensis

Family: Theaceac (Ternstroemiaceue)
Common name: Chai

Tea beverage is prepared by pouring boiling water over processed tea leaves. Tea is
valued for its taste, aroma, health bene ts, and form part of some cultural practices.
Through the ages, tea consumption was associated with bene cial e ects on
human health. Most of the health-promoting e ects of tea are attributed to its
polyphenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity. The phenolic pro le is
strictly related to the processing steps performed during production of di erent tea
types as well as home preparation practices. 


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 Table of Contents:
Origin and distribution: 3
Morphology 4
Agro-climatic conditions: 5
Propagation: 5
Processing: 6
Chemical Composition: 9
Uses: 9

 Origin and distribution:

Tea was discovered between the 30th and 21st century BC. Initially, tea was used for its medicinal
properties and the fresh leaves were chewed on for their refreshing and energising effects. Its
was much later that tea leaves were brewed to make an infusion. Between 722 and 221 BC, the
Chinese began to brew these leaves, sometimes adding other healthy ingredients such as ginger
and orange peel. At this points, the infusion was consumed by mixing with rice to prepare a meal.

This gradually evolved to be a beverage, often offered to noble lords and high ranking of cials as
a refreshing drink. Varieties of tea were soon distinguishable, and tea was presented as gifts, with
rare varieties presented to emperors. As tea became a coveted trade item, the commercial
practice of trading in tea began. Between 420 and 589 BC, tea became embedded in Chinese
traditions. Interest grew around the methods of cultivation, and its consumption rapidly
increased.

Several tea shrubs were planted between 618 and 907 BC by the Tang Dynasty. At this point,
Japanese monks carried seeds with them as they travelled back to Japan. Thus tea began to
spread overseas. Scented varieties of tea were explored in the years that followed, between 960
and 1279 BC. This included Wu Yi Tea in the Fujian Province of China. By 1271 BC, machines
were used in the production of tea, even though commoners preferred loose tea for brewing. The
introduction of machinery marked a signi cant development in crafting methods. Tuocha and Tea
Cakes were still given to the lords in exchange for favours as these were prestigious items worthy
of presenting to royalty.

During the rule of the Ming dynasty, roasting of tea leaves became popular. In the years that
followed, leaves were rolled into strips, and loose tea leaves were used to make drinks.

Between 1636 and 1911 BC, the Qing dynasty rules over China. By this time, tea had become a
part of people’s lifestyle, and the popularity of varieties of tea such as Green Tea, Black Tea,
Oolong Tea, Yellow Tea, etc. had spread. Tea was instrumental in bring foreign trade to China, as
it was gradually exported across the world.

Presently the most important tea producing areas lie within a restricted region, from 8°s (in Java)
to 35°N(in Japan) and from 80°E to 140°E , this includes china , Japan, Taiwan, Sumatra, Sri Lanka
and India. The major tea growing areas in India are Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh

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 Morphology

Tea plant is an evergreen or semi-evergreen

woody shrub (9-15 m); the bushes
are constantly pruned to encourage maximum
leaf production and are also kept at
plucking height. After about 10 years the
bushes are often cut back to ground level
allowing suckers to replace the old bushes.

Leaves are alternate, generally elliptic to lanceolate with toothed margins (5-30 cm long); the
undersurface of young leaves is covered with soft hairs that vanish with age. The old leaves
become leathery, The characteristic fragrance and aroma of the leaves is due to the presence of
numerous oil glands.

Flowers are white or pinkish with yellow centre, and are borne in leaf axils either singly or in
groups of 2-4, from July to October. Fruit is a 3-celled woody capsule, each compartment of
which contains a brown seed (about 1.25 cm in diameter). Fruit takes 9-12 months to mature, and
dehisces by splitting from apex into three valves.

Vascular bundle is arc-shaped in the mid rib region.

Stomata and thick-walled uni-celled, hairs are
present on lower surface. Druses are scattered
throughout the mesophyll. Idioblasts often spread
from lower to upper epidermis. Tannin cells are
distributed throughout. The marginal serrations of
each leaf terminates into a small conical gland that
breaks o easily, and is often not seen in mature
leaves.

V.S. through a tea leaf

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Agro-climatic conditions:

About 150 cm per annum rainfall that is well distributed throughout the year, and temperature
between 21-32°C is required for vigorous growth. It grows best in deep, well-drained, acid soils
(pH between 4.0-5.0), rich in humus. It does not grow-in alkaline soils.

Tea is tolerant of high levels (17,000 ppm) of aluminium. In some instances the accumulation of
aluminium has been found to even cause aluminium toxicity in tea leaves. Aluminium is also a
diagnostic characteristic for determining good tea soil, where it plays a regulatory role in the
uptake of ions of manganese, or is associated with phosphorous uptake. Because tea is a leaf
crop, nitrogenous manuring should be provided to neutralise the drain on nitrogen brought about
by the regular removal of leaves.

Application of ammonium sulphate consistently gives a good crop, because it maintains

soil acidity, which is necessary for tea to ourish and it also imparts resistance to red rust
caused by an alga (Cephaleuros parasiticus). Tea develops more vigorously under light
shade than in exposed situations. The shade trees are planted 12-15 n1 apart and the most
commonly used species are Albizia chinensis , A.procera, A.stipulata, Dalbergia
assamica, Derris robusta, Gliricidia sepium, and Erythrina species. In addition to providing shade,
they supply some of the essential plant nutrients and their roots ventilate the soil.

Propagation:

Tea is usually propagated by seeds sown in nurseries. The viability of the secd is short and
therefore it should be sown within a few days of gathering. Seeds germinate soon and the
seedlings when nearly 30 cm tall are planted in the eld. Vegetative propagation is by single
internode cuttings taken immediately above the leaf and axillary bud. Plant is kept bushy through
regular pruning. After about 10 years the bushes are often cut back to ground level allowing
suckers to replace the old bush. Harvesting or plucking involves removing the young tender
shoots, i.e., the terminal bud and two or three of the youngest leaves. Plucking is done generally
when trees are 4 years old. A single bush can be plucked about once a week.

The plucking of tea leaves. The terminal bud and the rst two leaves of the
young shoot are plucked for preparing ner grades of tea.

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 Processing:

The type of processing of the leaves depends on the nal type of tea desired.
Commercially, tea is of three basic types: black, green, and oolong tea. The oolong tea is
made front a particular variety of tea (Camellia sinensis var chemisa). The fresh leaves after
picking are lightly packed in baskets to prevent bruising and heating, and are immediately sent to
the processing units.

The basic steps involved in the processing of tea, a) Harvesting of tea

b) Withering and fermentation of tea c) Drying leaves in bamboo baskets over charcoal d) A tea cutter,
e) Withering and fermenting on wicker trays, f) Drums are also employed for accomplishing withering,
g) Hand-rolling in black ten production. h) Rolling of teas also done by machines, one such early rolling
machine is shown in the gure. I) A power ten dryer.

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 Di erence in processing between Black, Green and Oolong tea :

Black Tea:
• Four- fth of the world's tea is processed into black tea
• It is fermented (this causes alteration of various chemical constituents of the leaf)

It involves 6 main operations:

i)Withering: is done in open sheds or in special sheds equipped with controlled heating
and ventilating facilities. The leaves are spread thinly over withering racks, arranged one
above the other horizontally, and allowed to remain there for 12 to 18 hours at 30°C to let
them loose the excessive moisture. Moisture content is reduced to 50-60% from 75-80%.
Sometimes, heated air is forced over these racks if the atmosphere around is humid. The
leaf slowly and evenly becomes soft and accid like soft leather and is ready for rolling.

ii)Rolling: imparts the characteristic twist to the leaf, breaks the leaf cells, exposes the
juices to the air for fermentation to set in. After half-an-hour of rolling the leaf is removed
in aluminium trolleys to a sifter and ball breaker. This machine consists of a long and at
metal sheet with perforations, xed on a ame which makes reciprocating motion; as a
result the broken leaf and ne particles fall below and the rest is taken out after sieving to
be rolled for the second time with increased pressure. The leaf which is still green and
quite accid is removed to the fermenting room.

iii)Fermentation: The temperature (24-27"C), and relative humidity (RH- 90%) are
controlled in the fermentation house. The rolled leaves are spread on tiles of aluminium or
even glass sheets for oxidation. During fermentation, the tannin (polyphenols) in tea are
partly oxidised and the leaves change colour and turn bright coppery-red. As a general
rule, the shorter the fermentation, the more pungent would be the liquor obtained; and the
longer the fermentation, the softer the liquor and deeper the colour.

iv)Drying or ring: is done to arrest further oxidation of the leaf and to reduce moisture
content to 3-5%. Careful regulation of temperature is essential as excessive heat will
scorch the leaves while lack of it will result in incomplete drying. A current of hot (90-
100°C) air is passed for 20-25 minutes in specially constructed ovens.

v)Cleaning process: Tea is now cleaned and sorted with the help of rotating or vibrating
screens.

vi)Grading: There are essentially three grades of Indian tea: leaf, broken waste left, and
dust (smallest particle's) excluding tuft and stalk, which after sorting and grading is called
' uff', it contains 3.5% caffeine and can be used for the extraction of caffeine. After
grading tea is packed in tea- chests lined with tin or aluminium foil and paper.
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 Green Tea:
• About 115 of the tea drunk world wide is the green tea.
• It is unfermented.

It involves three main operations:

i)Heating or steaming: The leaves are generally plucked without stalk and arc heated in an
iron pan, i.e pan red (as in China) or steamed (as in Japan), instead of natural withering
Steaming makes the leaves pliable for rolling and protect the leaves against fermentation
and blackening. This process inactivates the enzymes polyphenol oxidase and thus
prevents the oxidation of polyphenols.

ii)Rolling: The leaf is rolled and dried more or less in a similar way to black tea.

iii)Drying: Drying retains the greenish colour of the leaf due to the absence of
fermentation. Tea obtained by Iron pan ring is of better quality.

Oolong tea:
• 2% of the tea drunk is oolong tea.
• It is semi-fermented.

It involves 4 steps:

i) Withering:
ii) Light fermentation:
iii) Rolling:
iv) Drying:

The leaves are slightly withered before panning; during this process a slight fermentation
is allowed. Rolled and dried like black tea. There is a special market for Oolong tea in
America and is exclusively manufactured in southern China and Taiwan.

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Chemical Composition:

Fresh plucked leaves contain:

A cup of tea contains on an average a little under a gram of caffeine and about two grains of
polyphenols and provides four calories. When milk is added to tea, polyphenols are xed by the
casein in milk, thus robbing it of practically all its astringency. The sugar added to the tea merely
adds to the value of the drink as a food. A tablespoon of milk and a lump of sugar to a cup of tea
gives 40 calories. In green tea most of the polyphenols are present in the original form. Green tea
does not have as much aroma and avour as black tea, since fermentation is omitted.

Uses:

• Tea has been used as a beverage for 2000-3000 years.

• Caffeine is manufactured from tea waste.
• The popular concept that tea is a health promoting beverage has been greatly strengthened by
detailed research in humans and in animal models as regards the inhibition of the complex
processes leading to coronary heart diseases and various types of human cancer.

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