mikedmonds said

Are Pollution and Pesticides a concern in Oriental Teas?

I have read much concerning pollution levels in the orient these days; particularly China. Are there inspections performed, or regulations followed to insure safety?

3 Replies
Cofftea said

As for pesticides, that’s why I go organic.

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Rijje said

… I’ve read of a danish test of pesticides in different wellknown teabrands.
Most pesticides was found in cheap tea from 2§ shops and so forth.

Just make sure of knowing what you get – if your tea lack info on what it contains, where it’s from and how old it is… then don’t buy it. I you are worried about it, do like Cofftea, look after the “I-am-organic”thingy.

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Going for organic certified teas is only part of the solution. If you’re buying “organic,” find out who does the certification. You just never know; each country has it’s own classification schemes and quality standards for “organic” products.

Also remember that there are plenty of Taiwanese high mountain tea producers that do NOT use pesticides simply because their primary consumers/buyers wouldn’t stand for it, but most of these family run tea plantations are also not certified organic. The refined palate can taste the bitterness that pesticides produce on the tongue and for some Taiwanese, it also negatively impacts the natural “chi” or energy of the tea. Consequently, if you’re purchasing a Taiwan Oolong, white or green tea from the high mountains, AND your paying a fair bit for it (though this is not always true, watch out for the scams selling pesticide ridden cheaper Chinese oolong teas as Taiwan oolongs) you’re probably safe in assuming they’re pesticide free. I know this is a little convoluted, but if you’re looking to buy Chinese fresh teas, stick with the Taiwan type from a trusted vendor/merchant who can answer your questions to your satisfaction.

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