How much do you know about tea safety on Consumer Rights Day? Experts share tips on how to identify safe tea.
Author:
Release date:
2012-03-16
It's 3·15 Consumer Rights Day, and with the theme centered on "Consumption and Safety," tea safety—and by extension, safe tea consumption—has naturally found itself at the forefront of public attention.
Since early March, this weekly magazine has received numerous calls from readers asking for advice on how to buy safe tea.
How can you buy tea that’s safe to drink? Recently, a reporter interviewed experts in the tea industry to address this very question, offering readers two relatively professional methods for assessing tea quality—providing consumers with useful insights to guide their future tea purchases.
Method 1: Check QS
Packaging companies' QS is not the same as tea producers' QS.
Staff from the Fujian Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision explained that, starting from January 1, 2007, tea has been included in the food quality and safety market access system. According to the "Procedures and Related Standards for Tea QS Certification," manufacturers of products with pre-packaged quantities and weight labels are required to affix the QS mark on food items that have passed inspection—this can be done either by printing the QS logo directly onto the tea packaging bag or by placing it visibly on the outer surface of tea gift boxes. Food products without the QS mark are prohibited from being sold in the market. As a result, the QS certification has become a key indicator for consumers to determine whether tea products are safe and reliable.
However, in today's tea market, some tea-producing companies have not obtained the QS certification for tea production. Yet, these uncertified tea products still use packaging that has already been QS-certified. In other words, the QS number printed on the tea packaging may belong to the packaging company—rather than the actual tea producer.
So, how can consumers identify QS numbers? According to the relevant regulations of the State Administration for Market Regulation regarding the QS mark, there are 28 major categories of food products subject to China’s national food safety and quality market access system. Each QS number consists of the letters "QS" followed by a 12-digit Arabic numeral. The first four digits represent the accepting authority’s code, the middle four digits indicate the product category, and the last four digits correspond to the serial number of the certified enterprise. Notably, tea products fall under category number 1401.
Therefore, when purchasing tea, consumers should carefully check the QS number printed on the product’s outer packaging. They can also verify the validity of the QS number—and ensure that the registered company information matches what’s listed on the packaging—by using the Food Quality and Safety Market Access Information System on the official website of the State Administration for Market Regulation.
Method 2: Sensory Evaluation
Assess quality by appearance, color, aroma, taste, and leaf bottom.
Besides the "traceable" methods mentioned above, there’s also a simpler approach—relying purely on consumers’ sensory perceptions.
In national standards, tea quality inspection primarily involves two methods: sensory evaluation and physicochemical testing. Sensory evaluation is conducted by professional tasters who rely on their natural senses—sight, smell, taste, and touch—to assess the tea product’s sensory attributes (such as appearance, color, aroma, flavor, and leaf base), using standardized tea-tasting terminology or referring to physical sample references.
Although sensory evaluation standards are the primary method for determining the quality and grade of tea—and aren’t directly tied to safety—they become crucial indicators when a tea variety significantly deviates from its inherent sensory characteristics, or worse, shows signs of mold. In such cases, consumers should proceed with caution before making a purchase.
For instance, in terms of quality, Wuyi rock tea products should be clean, free from discoloration, free of mixed foreign plant species, contain no non-tea substances, and exhibit no off-flavors, foul odors, or signs of mold. Similarly, Pu-erh tea should remain free from deterioration, devoid of unusual smells, and free of any non-tea impurities.
If the tea leaves—other than those explicitly labeled as aged—are visibly moldy or develop a stale, musty aroma; if green tea turns reddish in color, or if the liquor darkens and becomes brownish; or if the taste noticeably shifts—losing its usual strength, astringency, and refreshing quality—then it’s best not to purchase that tea.
Previous article
Savoring aged Tieguanyin roasted over charcoal
Next article
What is white tea and what are its health benefits?
Related News
2023/08/26
2023/08/16
2023/08/06
Contact Us
Address: Mayang Village, Diandou Town, Fuding City, Fujian Province
Scan to follow our WeChat official account
Scan to access the mobile version
Copyright © Fuding Dongnan Duoqi Tea Industry Co., Ltd. SEO Cityproducts Privacy Policy
Powered by www.300.cn