Tea enthusiasts often keep a substantial amount of tea at home. Some may even store their tea in the fridge, or purchase a small fridge specifically for this purpose.
However, this is a common misconception. Whether tea should be stored in the fridge depends on the type of tea. Here are some general guidelines for storing tea in the fridge:
1. Suitable for Refrigeration
Green Tea and lightly oxidized Oolong tea.
Among the six major types of tea, green tea is the most prone to spoilage and requires extra care during storage. You can place the tea in a sealed tea tin, put it in a sealed bag, and then store it in the fridge.
Lightly oxidized Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess) and Phoenix Dancong tea that has been dehumidified can also be stored in the fridge.
2. Not Suitable for Refrigeration
Dark tea, Pu'er tea, traditionally processed Oolong tea, aged teas, and white tea.
Pu'er tea, white tea, and dark tea emphasize the value derived from aging. Storing these teas in the fridge not only risks dampness but also reduces the activity of biological enzymes within the tea, which affects the tea's transformation efficiency.
Traditionally processed Oolong teas, such as Wuyi Rock Tea, Phoenix Dancong, and charcoal-roasted Tieguanyin, have good stability after Roasting and do not require refrigeration.
Jasmine-scented tea, due to its own fragrance, may lose its aroma if stored in the fridge.
3. Depending on the Circumstances
Studies have shown that temperature significantly impacts the storage quality of broken black tea. When stored at a lower temperature (0-5°C) for one year, the changes in quality components are minimal, with moisture increasing by only 2.11%.
Black tea stored at room temperature experiences significant changes after one year of storage, with the reduction in theaflavins being 18 times higher and the increase in thearubigins being 2.76 times higher compared to tea stored at low temperatures.
This results in the tea stored at low temperatures remaining fresh and flavorful, while the tea stored at room temperature turns brown and dull in taste.
As fully fermented tea, black tea can generally be stored at room temperature without significant impact on its quality. However, high-quality, fine black teas (such as Jin Junmei), which typically have higher Theaflavin content, can be stored in a sealed container in a refrigerator for a period of time to slow down the browning process.
4. Precautions
In household settings where the fridge is not exclusively used for tea storage, other foods are likely to be present. Since tea readily absorbs odors, it is essential to seal the tea properly when storing it.
If you have loose tea, consider placing it in a clean, odorless, sealed bag before storing it in the fridge.
If the tea is not loose, check the seal of the packaging and place it in an additional clean, sealed bag to prevent the tea from absorbing other odors.