Plant Hortitech Article - Amazing Tea......

PLANT HORTI TECH VOL5 NO 5 JUL-AUG-2005

AMAZING TEA - WHAT IT CANNOT DO ! By K.V.S.Krishna

1. To say `next to water tea is the cheapest drink', I would endorse the view of Marty Yushner, product and Health Consultant, Tetley, USA is a statement, I believe, is the arch enemy of tea. Would you tell your friends "See this saree, it is the cheapest I could buy. Tea has far far better qualities as a beverage to give good health and prevent so many diseases endorsing the saying "Health is Wealth". Drink as much as you want. Tea has been known to be under cultivation for 5000 years. Tea was used initially as a medicine, later as a beverage and has a proven future potential of becoming an important industrial and pharmaceutical raw material. Tea is consumed in 65 countries, where some 4 billion cups of the brew is consumed daily, with the annual world production at around 3500 million kilograms. Amazingly Tea has some 600 different flavour constituents and 500 other Chemical Compounds, many of them have highly potent pharmacological properties. Apart from being a sterile drink, tea has just 4 calories per cup.

The US Tea Council's Tea and Health Committee and the American Health Foundation had its first symposium on Tea in 1991; in N.Y.Scientific papers from China and Japan, using green tea models presented several papers regarding tea's potential health benefits. This triggered independent studies on health benefits of green tea. We know that EGCG is potent antioxidant - the goodness of green tea moved ahead with aggressive marketing. Subsequently information emerged that Theaflavins and Thearubigens, found in the black tea, are also powerful antioxidants. Present evidence, therefore, suggests that green tea is no more healthier than black tea. It is a matter of preference and taste as to which tea a consumer wants.

2. The properties of Black tea and Green Tea are similar. Both contain similar amount of flavonoid components which differ in their nature. Green tea contains proportionately more of the simple flavonoids called catechins while black tea mainly comprises more complex flavonoids called Theaflavins and thearubigins. Both these simple and complex flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that may reduce the risk of heart diseases, stroke and cancers.

3. The quality of either green tea or black tea depends on the plucking standards where the tender two leaf and a bud gives the highest quality the percentage of caffeine being highest in the bud, followed at lower level in the first leaf and still lower on the second leaf. Quality also depends on the variety that is grown. Nowadays clonal tea plants is popularly grown all over the world. Quality further depends on the elevation, cropping phase, climate and seasonal factors. It is said no two days harvest would have the same quality parameters. While in India, Sri Lanka and most of Africa, harvesting is done manually, countries like Argentina, Papua New Guinea, Japan and Australia harvest the crop mechanically. Tea bushes needs to be harvested on a systematic basis, once in 7 to 11 or 12 days, preventing in over growth, which can cause the leaf to grow more than 3 leaf and a bud, when quality declines, coarse leaf and stalks increase. Control of the raw product on a daily basis is one of the prime requirement for producing quality teas. With increase in production of South India from 60 million kilograms to over 200 million kilograms, over the years shortage of labour has been one of the main constraints along with increased unsustainable wages. The productivity of made tea per manday in South India is around 3 kgs, whereas in Africa it is around 5 and in N.E. India over 4 kgs; making tea cost of production very high. Productivity of mechanised countries is over 20.

4. India's Tea area has gone up from 3.58 lakh hectares (1971) to 5.09 lakh hectares (2001). Production for same period moved from 435 million kgs to 853 million kgs. The Tea Board assessed that the growing population would need additional 40 million kgs of tea annually and, therefore, felt that CTC Tea production could be stepped up as the cuppage of CTC teas were twice that of Orthodox teas. CTC teas being fine dust size particle or aggregate of particles, has more surface area exposed to hot water when brewed. This, therefore, is another way to increase productivity. In 1971 South India produced 28% of its teas by CTC process and this increased to 83.4% of its production by 2002. India's CTC tea production rose from 54.9% to 88.8% and was mostly catering to Internal demand rather than exports. Countries like Sri Lanka, in the meantime, continued with Orthodox processing with all most the entire production being exported. While Darjeeling teas continued the orthodox processing, retaining its quality & image the Nilgiris changed over to making CTC teas. CTC teas being less flavoury, Nilgiris lost its markets; and also its prices. For every 3 kgs of good teas 2 kgs of interior teas are produced more particularly by the small growers schemes, in South India, avouching its credibility further!. The small growers in Kenya and Sri Lanka, however, get better results than large plantation.

5. Most tea plantations in South India get a yield of 2500/3000 kgs / hectare and some exceed 4000 kgs/hectare. There are now clones securing yields of 10,000 kg/hectare. Yield potential of the tea bush has been estimated at 25000 kg made tea per hectare with uniform weekly harvest according to Dr.N.K.Jain; and he goes on to say the ideal plant should be resistant to biotic stresses, have a low respiration rate, high harvest index, endowed with a photosynthetic efficiency which is comparable to maize or sugarcane or, at least, equal to its own fish leaf which is four times more efficient in fixing carbon-di-oxide per unit area, as compared to other leaves on the same shoot, considering that the same tea bush system has been managed through good times and bad times for well over 100 years, with some fields, planted a 150 years back, still giving 3000/3500 kgs/hectare of yield, tea is a amazing plant. Tea needs agroclimatic conditions, soils with pH range of 5 to 5.5, well distributed rainfall with some 170/220 wet days in a year and suitable elevation of 3000/6000 feet. Its ability to be in good health is due to its ability to coppice so very successfully every time it is pruned to form a fresh plant system with its age old roots, roots which do not have root hairs like most other plants. All this coupled with good agronomical practices which include fertiliser application in different countries ranging from 90 kg/ha to 1000 kg/ha of Nitrogen with varying levels of Phosphates and potash.

6. Effect of Ecology

Most modern tea plantation are planted at high density of in excess of 12000 plants / ha. Over a period of time, the root system extends deep, as deep as 15 to 25 feet. One of the most difficult jobs is to uproot well established 60/70 years old tea plantations. When tea is well managed, as is being done, it prevents erosion and conserves soil effectively. More importantly it produces a biomas of 10000/20000 kgs/ha/year. The photosynthetic activity is at least twice as good as a forest or a Eucalyptus Reserve. Apart from that, as a purifier of atmosphere, it takes a lead among any plant cover; as it fixes 4 to 8 tonnes of Carbon/ha/year, releasing considerable amount of Oxygen into the atmosphere.

7. Tea plantations sustains a population of 700/800 per squire kilometer and is presently unable to cope with higher wage rates. Innovations needs to be taken up. For example India produces 15 to 20 million kilograms of tea waste which is denatured with lime and used as manure. Only a fraction is used for extraction of caffeine. In U.S.A. black tea is taken in the form of iced tea or canned tea. It is here that India is missing out as there is no prohibition in marketing tea waste for instant tea manufacture by overseas producers, unlike in India.

8. Another new innovation is the Industrial utilization of Tea Extract in several areas like dye, deodorant, sterilization agent and medicinal agent has been developed in Japan. Dyed cloth shows attractive colour and possessed properties inhibiting microbial growth. In Japan, according to Dr.Takeo, T.Shirts, underwear, etc., are treated with Tea extract as it inhibits S.mutans.

9. Tea Auctions

There are some 12000 tea estates in India. The commodity is different from others due to the degree of variation in quality and fluctuates from district to district, estate to estate, flush to flush and even day to day. These variable teas are placed in the auctions so that the buyer chooses what he wants to make his standard blend. The system has been working successfully for over 160 years! The various Tea Trade Association Co-ordinates auction centres in India with the Brocking firm, buyers and sellers being members of this Association as per Tea Board regulations.

10. Health

Consumption of tea prevents several ailments such as cancer, arthritis, hypertension, skin diseases and heart problem. Tea extracts enhances neuromuscular function, prevent gastric ulcers, protect the B-cells of islets of langerhans and help in regeneration of damaged cells; and combat blood sugar in control of diabetes. Not only tea checks tumour growth and inflammation it also keeps the intestines healthy. Black tea consumption has been found to reduce Low Density Lipid (LDL) in patents suffering from Cholestromia.

The anti oxidants in both black and green teas are similar to those found in fruits and vegetables. The antioxidant capacity of Black tea is 927, green tea at 814±30 spinach 179±32 and other vegetable between 13 to 83 (Reference Caog, Sofic E, Prior RL 1996). An abstract of Scientific Research on Tea and Antioxidants from Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations, Kolkata. Black and Green teas are an inexpensive, valuable part of worlds food supply. Tea decreased chronic disease risk and increases healthy longevity Dr.John Weisburger, American Health foundation recommends intake of upto 10 cups of tea a day for good health and well being.

11. India exports, 170 to 200 million kgs per year, retaining 650/680 million kgs for domestic requirements. Though in the year 2003 it achieved 857 million kg against the potential of 1000 million kgs. its International tea prices were always below Sri Lanka and Kenya. Which is US cent 120, 154, and 162 respectively. (Source UPASI 2003 annual report). Adding to these problems, India faces a high cost of production against other Nations - India Rs.74.27 per kg, Sri Lanka 56.39, Kenya 53.18, Vietnam 41.09, Malawi 38-50 Bangladesh 28.00, Indonesia 26.50. (Source D.Chakravarty, Indian Tea Association - The week Feb 15,2004). Several tea plantations both in South and North India have closed down and the Industry is facing a crisis for over 4 to 5 years.

12. The per capita consumption of Tea in India at 600/650 grams, works out to barely a cup of tea a day The highest per capita consumption in India is in Punjab 1220 grams, Gujarat 1190, Maharastra/Goa 1040 Kerala 1030, Haryiana 1000 and the lowest is Orissa 360, Bihar 430 (Source D.P.Maheshwari, The Planters Chronicle July 2001). No doubt, considerable consumption of other beverages like Coffee, Cocoa products coupled with soft drinks and cola have made serious inroads. Further there is very little awareness even among the educated about the health giving properties of Tea. Tea, in India, was introduced by the East India Company to cater to the British and European markets. Whereas, Tea culture has been closely woven into the Chinese and Japanese heritage for 4000/5000 years; and is more like a cottage Industry and there are so many variants in the green tea and Oolung tea processing, as many as 3000 types of tea are quoted in various markets, are being made. Zenon Wang, (Department of Tea Science, Anhui Agriculture University, China). Writes about speciality teas and herbal teas of China. Where some 150 Chinese herbs are mixed with specific kind of teas to fortify the medicinal properties of tea.

13. Undoubtedly China and Japan have done considerable work on reestablishing credentials of green tea regarding its medicinal use in immune functions, process of aging, detoxification and chemoprevention of some human diseases.

14. GENERIC PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT

While black teas are made by either orthodox or CTC processing systems, Green teas are produced by orthodox processing methods. Some estates in Africa have succeeded in making CTC Green tea, where by the cuppage doubles; which assists the Tea bag industry. 200 ml/cup of Black Tea has 40 mg of Caffeine, with green tea at much lower levels. Considerable R&D needs to be done. Incidentally there are tea clones having `O' level of Caffeine! and if grown in huge blocks, could sell decaffeinated teas of superior natural quality, retaining all other factors.

15. The trend in packaging of Tea for domestic market has been slow but steady. By 1999, 38% of India's domestic teas were sold as packet teas and the rest as loose teas, and the trend is positive. Incidentally the Tea bag industry too has picked up and additives like `Masala', `Ginger', `Lemon, is nowadays seen in retail Tea bags of Indian origin. India is a land of spices and tastes. A lot more could come up in the markets. It is encouraging to see labels - naturally rich in anti-oxidants, with instruction how to make tea! on teas being sold nowadays.

16. The Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka has come up on value addition to make a sherry or wine. Tea brews were fermented for five weeks, giving an alcohol content of 10%, matured in wooden casks and came up with a product with good clarity and colour. Will the Indian breweries take up this challenge, before others do !

17. Similarly, incorporation of tea into yoghurt done to use as a natural colouring agent to increase shelf life by making use of tea's antioxidant properties and to enhance the health benefits of yoghurt (curds). The addition of 1 or 2 grams of tea per litre of milk during yoghurt production was found to be suitable for appearance, colour, texture and flavour, spoonability and desired organoleptic properties and acceptability, according to W.W.D Modder of TRI of Sri Lanka. Creating awareness and marketing such products can go a long way to create more demand for tea.

18. By 1995, according to Fulian Yu and Ning Xu, (TRI, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences) in their article `Tea Germplasm Resources of China', have more than 3300 accessions of tea germ plasm. Normally tea polyphenol content is 22-23%, but some varieties have over 40%, with highest going to 53.7%. These teas are easily the best for extracting polyphenols. Similarly there are high Amino Acid germ plasm from Yunnan Province, China of more than 3.3% and Angi white tea having 6.3%. Similarly there are teas with caffeine from 0.14% to 6.96. Establishing germ plasm banks and developing traits suitable for specialised teas and industries is another aspect the industry needs to explore for future.

19. Tea is just a amazing crop with considerable amount of pharmacological functions. According to Zongmao Chen (TRI, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou), more than 500 chemical constituents are present in Tea. Apart from its pharmacological values, more than 20 elements are found in tea which in traces, improves the well being of humans. Ingestion of fluorine from tea drinking has been reported to prevent caries, causing dental decay. (see figure.1) depicting level of various elements.

20. Iced Teas - USA Imported 94 million kg of tea during 2003, 80% being used for iced tea. The import from China and Argentina, Papua New Guinea etc. as the teas are cheap and they do not cloud or cream when subjected to ice. Bottled or canned Ready to drink (RTD) tea has stormed the U.S. tea market; from sales of US$ 200 million in 1990, it has exceeded US$ 2 billion by 1998. This has been at the expense of soft drinks. There is, therefore, similar scope in India too.

21. Now that it is a National Policy to give midday meals to school children at the states expenditure, it might be prudent to give tea as well a curds fortified with tea antioxidants.

22. One of the most important discoveries has been published in a paper `Eating Infused Tea Leaves in Saharan Africa'(by International Conference on O-cha (tea) Culture and Science, Shizuoka, Japan on November 4-6, 2004; by K.V.S.Krishna, Dr.S.Ramaswamy and Dr.N.K.Jain).

The Summary reads.

SUMMARY

This paper deals with a case study of eating infused-tea-leaf by the people of Saharan Africa and highlights the need for complete utilization of black tea leaves, in the form of tea infusion (Brew) and infused leaf (spent tea leaf). The analysis for food value has shown that the infused-tea-leaf posses major nutrients, which are beneficial for health. Processing changes required for making Big Bulk of tea meant for eatable infused-tea-leaf consumption and its comparison with another estate selling tea to London market confirms the economic and commercial potential for utilizing tea leaves as vegetables. In the context of an over supply of leaf tea as beverage, utilizating tea-leaf for eating has an important role in alleviating the depressed world tea prices. Role of the Industry and Research Institutes is pointed out, if this enhanced potential is to materialize.

More than a million kgs of made per year was sold to the Saharan Countries in North Africa by Ndu Tea Estates, (1975/76) Cameroon, specially made to cater to their unique requirement of Eating the infused leaf, for which Big Bulk was manufactured. After 28 years, the author could get the following scientific evidence to prove that spent leaf had considerable value.

TABLE - 1 CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF BLACK TEA*

Sl. No.	Constituents	g/100 dry weight		Availability in Brew	Availability in Infused Leaf
		Fresh Flush	Black Tea
1.	Protein	10.0 to 15.0	10.0 to 15.0	Trace	9.9 to 14.9
2.	Fibre	15.0 to 26.0	15.0 to 26.0	0	15.0 to 26.0
3.	Polyphenols: a. Unoxidized b. Oxidized	20.0 to 30.0 0	2.0 to 5.0 12.0 to 25.0	0.3 to 0.75 7.2 to 15.0	1.7 to 4.25 4.8 to 10.0
4.	Caffeine	2.0 to 5.0	2.0 to 5.0	1.4 to 3.5	0.6 to 1.5
5.	Pigments: Chlorophyll and Carotenoids	1.5 to 2.0	1.5 to 2.0	Trace	1.45 to 1.95
6.	Lipids	2.0 to 8.0	2.0 to 8.0	Trace	1.8 to 7.2
7.	Amino acids	3.0 - 5.0	2.7 to 4.5	2.3 to 3.8	0.35 to 0.7
8.	Carbohydrates	6.0 - 8.0	5.5 to 7.5	3.3 to 4.5	2.2 to 3.0
9.	Minerals	3.0 to 5.0	3.0 to 5.0	2.7 to 4.5	0.30 to 0.50

* Based on Ramaswamy, S. In: Global Advances in Tea Science, 1999, pp-745-760.

Economics and Commercial potential of infused-tea-leaf-consumption

African countries produced more than 400 m.kg. of tea in 2001. The domestic requirement in some 20 West African countries comes to about 200 m.kg of black tea at a per capita consumption of 500g. The population of these countries is 403 million, at about 1-1.5 person per sq.km. The people of Sahara area are generally of Islamic faith, do not take alcohol, lead a pastoral life, and have a shortage of vegetable in their diet. Therefore tea is the best gift one can give to them. Apart from Cameroon, Uganda and other producing countries export Bulk grades to sahara region where there has been potential for expanding the market for such teas. Local sales, therefore, offer a greater potential.

Conclusion

The eating habit infused-tea-leaf and marketing of teas in Saharan Africa indicated that a new vista for the Tea Industry would open up, if the tea industry and research institutes could substantiate the food value of the infused leaf and prove the point. The present world production of tea would not be enough to cater to the consuming countries, if fresh-tea-leaf could be sold in vegetable market like spinach. Increase in consumption of infused-tea-leaf would alleviate the problem of over supply of tea and improve the price to take tea industry out of depression

07.02.2005 K.V.S.KRISHNA