The new national standard for Fuding white tea officially takes effect on May 1, providing a basis for long-term storage

1. The moisture content standard for finished white tea has been adjusted from the original 7%,to 8.5%；

2. The categories of white tea have been adjusted from the originalthree types: Baihao Yinzhen, Bai Mudan, and Gongmei，to four types: Baihao Yinzhen, Bai Mudan, Gongmei, and Shoumei;

3. The storage period for white tea has been adjusted from having no standard to "provided it complies with the provisions of GB/T 30375, white tea products may be stored long-term."

Why are these three major changes so crucial?

Let a tea maker explain it to you in detail.

Moisture content of finished white tea:

8.5% harbors a risk of mold

Tea leaves favor dryness and fear moisture; after absorbing dampness, they easily heat up and become moldy.

Tea is best stored sealed under conditions with a moisture content below 5%. When its moisture content is around 8%, after 6 months of storage it will develop a stale tea odor;when its moisture content is at 10%, a moldy odor easily appears; when the moisture content reaches 12%, mold proliferates vigorously, producing white fuzz and a musty smell.

The new national standard's provisions on the physicochemical indicators of white tea

After tea leaves absorb moisture and become moldy, they not only lose their aroma and nutritional value but also contain various mycotoxins such as penicillic acid, cyclochlorotine, and luteoskyrin, which are highly harmful to human health. Experiments by some scholars on animals have shown that after animals drank water made from moldy tea leaves, necrosis could occur in organs such as the liver and kidneys, and it could also cause cancer. There have been cases of human poisoning from drinking moldy tea, with clinical symptoms manifesting as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and dizziness.

The "old national standard" provisions on the moisture content of white tea

(abolished on April 30, 2018)

In"GB/T 22291-2008 White Tea"and "DB35/T 10760-2010 Geographical Indication Protected Product Fuding White Tea"the moisture content requirement for finished white tea was 7%. Therefore, this adjustment to the moisture content standard is crucial:When consumers purchase white tea, they must clearly check the product's executive standard:

If the product's executive standard is"GB/T 22291-2017 White Tea"then when storing white tea, a dry storage environment must be chosen. If the tea leaves you purchased feel damp to the touch rather than prickly, it is recommended to dry them a second time before storing;

The local standard for Fuding white tea's provisions on the moisture content of tea leaves

If the product's executive standard is"DB35/T 10760-2010 Geographical Indication Protected Product Fuding White Tea"you can be relatively more at ease: the moisture content of the dry tea is no higher than 7%.

The national standard for Zhenghe white tea's provisions on the moisture content of tea leaves

Therefore,if you have bought a large amount of white tea for long-term storage, about every three months to half a year, it is best to take a sample and brew it to check whether any mold has developed.

White tea categories:

Can't tell Gongmei and Shoumei apart?

In the new national standard for white tea, the Shoumei grade has been newly added. Among the past three major standards for white tea, none included the Shoumei grade:

The old national standard "GB/T 22291-2008 White Tea" provisions on white tea grades:

The "old national standard" classification of white tea

(abolished on April 30, 2018)

The current standard for Fuding white tea"DB35/T 10760-2010 Geographical Indication Protected Product Fuding White Tea"classification of white tea:

Obviously,among the past three standards, none of the white teas included the Shoumei grade

So how should the Gongmei and Shoumei grades of white tea be distinguished?

A white tea product made from the tender shoots of tea tree varieties in a population using specific processes such as withering, drying, and sorting isGongmei；

Shoumeiis a product made from the tender shoots or leaves of Dabai tea, Shuixian, or population tea tree varieties using specific processes such as withering, drying, and sorting.

What is the difference?

1. Gongmei is made from population tea leaves, commonly known as small vegetable tea, also called native tea, and is white tea processed from the tender shoots of tea trees grown from seeds;and products made from this tea can also be called Shoumei;

2。tea made from the tender shoots or leaves picked from other clonal varieties can only be called Shoumei

White tea storage should preferably be controlled at a temperature below 25 degrees and a relative humidity below 50%