The chemistry of tea

Abstract

Tea is one of the most popular beverages consumed worldwide. It is the brew prepared from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis. Freshly harvested tea leaves require processsing to convert them into green, oolong and black teas. An estimated 2.5 million metric tons of dried tea are manufactured annually. The distinctive flavor and color of various teas are due to the chemical changes that occur during processing. The two major groups of compounds in tea leaves are catechins and methylxanthins.