Black tea manufacture.

SUMMARY Tea shoots were comminuted by four commercial processing systems representing both orthodox, and the more intensive, unconventional methods. Greater amounts of endogenous flavanols were oxidised and higher levels of the flavin class of pigments were produced, during the fermentation of the unconventionally processed leaf. Detailed comparison of quality and all the other aspects affecting market value, demonstrated that the unconventional systems produced a more valuable product. The results are related to the characteristic tissue damage associated with each disruption technique.