Processing

PRODUCTION PROCESS

Black Tea Production Process

1- Withering: Fresh tea leaves contain 70-80% water. During the flat bed withering process 32°C warm air is blown reducing the water content to 60-65%, making the leaves more elastic and suitable for rolling.

2. Rolling: This is the operation in which the cell extract of the withered tea leaf is spread over the rolled leaf surface, of fresh tea leaves is cut, ground and rolled in various tea manufacturing machinery, and the oxidation process begins.

3. Fermentation: Leaf cells are broken in rolling and cells water liquid arise to leaves surface. The poliphenols and enzymes of cells water reacts against oxygen and causes to fermentation (oxidation).
As a result of this process, theaflavins and thearubigins arise and gives quality to the tea as colour, brightness, aroma etc.

4. Drying: It is the process by which the humidity level of tea leaves rolled and fermented in the drying furnaces is reduced to 3-4% by stopping the oxidation, so that the tea is rendered storable and packagable.

5. Sorting and Packing: This process is sorting the black tea with sieves and separating the different grades. Then they are sent to packaging factory.