FAQs on the life of tea
When the cooler months of the year end, many of us find ourselves reaching less for tea. Whilst many teas can be enjoyed all year around, being suited to both hot and cold brewing, some teas hot the spot best on a cold day.
The below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the lifespan of tea, buddies up perfectly with another of our blogs, “Giving your tea the best life”, which explains simple strategies regarding how best to store tea. Being aware of how well tea lasts, and how best to keep it, will help you get the most out of your tea, even when it has sat untouched in the cupboard over the summer months.
Does tea ‘go off’?
It is not very often that tea cannot be consumed after a lengthy period of storage time, due to safety reasons.
Although, if tea has been stored improperly, or has not been served in many months, it should always be checked for mould or contaminants through sight and smell. If there is any indication of mould, or it smells unusual, be sure to dispose of the entire contents.
If tea does not go bad, then why is there an expiry date?
Teas should be sold with a ‘Best Before’ date. This date indicates that the flavours of the tea should remain of as-new quality until that date, if stored properly. So, whilst tea does not go bad off its own accord, it can deteriorate with age, and become stale over time.
What is the best way to dispose of used or expired tea?
If the tea has expired, you can still use that tea for other purposes, if the loss of favour means you will not enjoy drinking it. Cooking with tea, such as roasting the leaves; using it in body scrub; and even as a natural dye, are all possible uses.
In any case, composting is also an environmentally friendly option. If you are composting tea bags however, be sure that the bag is compostable, as well as the string and tag. If these materials are not advertised as being compostable, or biodegradable, you are urged to remove the leaves for composting, and dispose of the unsuitable materials in general waste.
Does loose leaf tea stay fresh longer than tea bags?
In most cases, yes! This is due to the contents of tea bags often being smaller tea leaves, or even tea dust. These smaller leaves will expire faster than long, or whole, leaves, because of the increased surface area for exposure to oxygen.
This same reasoning is applied to tea powders (such as matcha), explaining why they have a much shorter ‘best before’ period than leaves.
Can tea be stored in the freezer to make it last longer?
Brewed tea can be frozen, making iced-tea a quick and easy option, but tea leaves and tea bags are not to be stored in the freezer. Freezing leaves does not act as a way to preserve the tea, but rather causes it to lose its flavour, and increases the risk of mould upon defrosting.