fermentation tea is a mixture of oxidation of polyphenols and enzymes (enzymes) present in the tea leaves.As a result, formed theaflavins and thearubigins that give the infusion of tea (black) characteristic brown color with a reddish tinge.
Fermentation is a series of chemical reactions that take place in different ways.It depends on the external conditions (light, temperature, humidity, etc.).Known methods of artificial termination of fermentation while when the sheet reached the necessary preparedness.This is done by rapid heating tea leaves, not leading to its drying, but converting substances so that fermentation stopped.
oxidative enzymes
fermentation of tea - the core process technologies throughout its production.For its implementation must be the impact of oxidative enzymes tea leaves: phenol oxidase and peroxidase.Tea production
provides maximum preservation of aroma and flavor properties of the tea leaves by modification of their chemical composition.As a result of the raw material is obtained a high quality product.
favors the biochemical transformations begin even while collecting tea leaves, as it continued withering and twisting, and even during the fermentation, they acquire special power.
During fermentation sheet rolled under the influence of oxidative processes, it is a copper-red, and the smell of greenery slowly becomes delicate scent of fermented tea.
fermentation process
In the XIX century it was believed that the fermentation of tea is a microbiological process.Believed that the tea leaf has a certain microflora, some microorganisms produce oxidative enzymes capable of oxidizing phenolic compounds.This ancient theory does not justify itself, because as a result of the experiments under aseptic conditions established that the foreign microflora can only hinder the correct development of the fermentation process.
Later, in the XX century, tea leaves were found oxidizing enzymes, and concluded that they are on the tea bush in an inactive state and can be activated when withering.In the course of studying these soluble enzymes separately revealed that phenoloxidases, its soluble form, has weak activity, but does not form a soluble peroxidase red and brown foods with high activity.
decided to study enzymes separately, resulting in phenol oxidase activity is detected.This enzyme is insoluble in the areas of the sheet and goes into solution under normal conditions, which prevented it detected in earlier studies.Thus it was discovered insoluble phenol oxidase, which was the main enzyme.
Fast and slow fermentation
tea fermentation is carried out quickly and slowly.
When the process of rapid fermentation processing of tea leaves is carried out mechanically, that is, his twisted and mauled by damaging the cell membrane.It is more active and the oxidation reaction of the enzymes with one another.
When a slow fermentation process the leaves are not damaged.
According to the degree and method of fermentation tea leaves are divided into five groups:
- white tea;
- green tea;
- Oolong tea;
- oolong tea;
- black tea.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, tea production in Russia remained only in the Krasnodar region.
survived the crisis of the 90s, the production of tea in the area started to stabilize, but remain low product quality and volume also did not reach the previous level.However, did not stop the activities of the local production of tea processing and tea-packing factory in Dagomys and Adler, remained a Russian firm "Krasnodarchay."
Despite the fact that the soil and climatic conditions are far from optimal for the cultivation of tea in Sochi tea plantations occupy about 1.5 thousand. Hectares.It annually attracts more than 4,000 tons of tea leaves.
