The provided data demonstrates two various ways used for the production of black tea.
The first and final steps for both methods remain the same, but some steps in the middle vary depending on the kind of product that is being produced. The are two methods : traditional method- that is used to produce the loose kind of tea, and modern method – used to produce tea bags.
The production of loose tea, which requires the implementation of the traditional method, begins with the picking of tea leaves. It is important to mention that only the bud and the two top leaves are picked in order to produce a good quality tea. Then the leaves go through the withering process where the air passes through them while the leaves are placed on a rack to let sixty percent of the moisture out. The the leaves are rolled flat during a step labelled as rolling. This step results in the release of enzymes. The rolled leaves are further placed on either tiles or cement, where the synergy of air and enzymes manifests in the change of the leaves’ color turning it to copper. Then finally the leaves are fired in the oven, releasing flavor and aroma during the process, and loosing 97 percent of its innitial moisture.
The modern method that is for the manufacturing of tea in bags, starts with piking and withering of the tea just as it is done in the manufacturing of loose tea. During the third step the leaves are cut torn and curled. Thus the smaller pieces are created. Later the leaves are placed on the tiles and either fired or dryded exactly like it’s done in the traditional method.