The diagram illustrates the process of producing tea, showing both traditional and modern methods from picking the leaves to the final drying stage.
Overall, the production of tea consists of several main stages, beginning with picking and withering fresh leaves. After this, the process splits into two different methods – traditional rolling for loose tea and modern cutting for tea bags – before both approaches rejoin for oxidation and final drying.
The first step is picking fresh tea leaves, when only a bud and two top leaves are selected to ensure good tea quality. The following stage is withering, which is based on air passing through the leaves that are placed on a rack. This is done to remove 60 per cent of the moisture.
Afterwards, the process is divided into two different methods: the traditional one (loose tea) and the modern one (tea bags). The former involves rolling; in this case, the leaves are rolled flat and broken, and enzymes are released from them. The latter uses cutting. In this option, the leaves are cut, torn and curled, and this method is considered quicker, creating smaller granular pieces. Following this, both methods undergo oxidation, also called fermentation, when the leaves are spread on tiles or cement. When enzymes interact with air, the leaves turn a copper colour. The last step is firing (drying), which means that the leaves are placed in ovens or hot-air dryers. As a result, flavour and aroma are released, and a total of 97 per cent of the moisture is removed.