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Text: Yu Yu
Edited by Yu Yu
Preface
Pu'er tea, a mysterious tea from Yunnan, has been controversial in recent years, with some saying it is the last stop for tea lovers, while others say it's bacterial.
One gram of ripe tea really contains 500 million molds, is drinking Pu'er tea really the same as drinking dirty water?
The process of making Pu-erh tea: the art of fermentation
In a tea factory in Pu'er City, Yunnan Province, workers are engaged in a seemingly simple but intelligent job – Wudui.
This term may be unfamiliar to many people, but it is the key to the unique flavor of ripe Pu'er tea.
Simply put, the tea leaves are fermented, and workers pile fresh tea leaves together, controlling the temperature and humidity to allow microorganisms to thrive in the tea leaves.
This process may seem inconspicuous, but it contains the crystallization of thousands of years of wisdom, but it is this process that has plunged ripe Pu'er tea into the whirlpool of controversy.
Some people say that Wudui is to make the tea moldy, and drinking such tea is tantamount to drinking dirty water, this statement makes people shudder, is it that we have been drinking poisonous tea.
The truth is far from simple, walking into the laboratory, scientists tell us that the fermentation process of Pu'er tea is an exquisite three-bacteria fermentation.
Bacteria, yeasts, and molds unfold a microcosmic gathering in tea, the most notable of which is a fungus called Aspergillus niger.
It is the protagonist of this group of heroes, dominating in the early stages of fermentation, and although Aspergillus niger sounds scary, its role should not be underestimated.
It's like a shrewd chef who transforms an otherwise mundane tea leaf into a mellow delicacy, but the show is just beginning.
As fermentation progresses, the temperature and humidity gradually change, the activity of Aspergillus niger begins to decline, and other microorganisms take over.
When fermentation is over, Aspergillus niger has completed its mission and quietly retires, leaving behind a carefully conditioned tea leaf with a unique aged aroma and rich flavors.
This process is similar to the production of fermented foods such as soy sauce and yogurt, which is not a simple mold, but an ancient and intelligent biotechnology.
However, there are two sides to everything, and if the fermentation process is not properly controlled, it can indeed lead to the growth of harmful bacteria.
Therefore, it is important to choose Pu'er tea produced by a regular manufacturer, who will strictly control the fermentation process to ensure that each piece of tea is carefully adjusted to be safe and delicious.
Safety controversy: Pu'er tea really can't be drunk
However, the controversy over Pu-erh tea has not subsided, and an even more worrying issue has surfaced: aflatoxin.
Aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen classified as a Class 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization, and it is rumored that Pu'er tea contains large amounts of aflatoxin, and just 20 milligrams can kill people.
This news is like a bombshell, causing an uproar in the tea circle, and in the face of such accusations, the Pu'er tea industry has fallen into an unprecedented crisis of confidence.
Pu'er, once known as a treasure among teas, has become a poisonous tea overnight, and people are beginning to question: Can we continue to drink Pu'er tea?
To uncover the truth, the researchers conducted a series of rigorous experiments, buying hundreds of random samples of Pu'er tea from the market, including raw and ripe teas of different brands and years.
The teas were sent to the laboratory for the most rigorous tests, and the results were surprising, with no aflatoxin detected in the vast majority of samples.
This discovery undoubtedly reassured the Pu'er tea industry, but scientists did not stop there.
They further found that the process of making Pu-erh tea itself was effective in inhibiting the production of aflatoxin.
It turns out that Aspergillus niger, which dominates the fermentation process of Pu'er tea, is precisely the natural enemy of Aspergillus flavus, which can not only inhibit the growth of Aspergillus flavus, but also secrete special enzymes to degrade the existing aflatoxin.
This is like nature has set up a natural safety barrier for Pu'er tea, and what is even more gratifying is that aflatoxin is generally not listed as a mandatory indicator for tea safety monitoring in the world.
This means that the safety of Pu-erh tea has been widely recognized globally, but that doesn't mean we can rest easy.
Just like any food, the safety of Pu'er tea depends on the entire process of its production, storage and use.
Therefore, the key to ensuring the safety of drinking is to choose Pu'er tea produced through regular channels and store it properly.
For consumers, this is not only a rational choice, but also a responsible attitude towards their own health.
The health concept of Pu'er tea
After demystifying the mystery of Pu'er tea's safety, we can't help but ask: what is the magic of Pu'er tea that fascinates so many people, and the answer may lie in its unique ingredients and effects.
Walking into the laboratory, the scientists showed us the composition map of Pu'er tea. On this map, a variety of complex chemical names are densely marked, the most striking of which is tea polyphenols.
Tea polyphenols are a class of powerful antioxidants, and in the human body they act like a trained guard, constantly scavenging harmful free radicals and protecting our cells from oxidative damage.
This means that every sip of pu-erh tea can be a good antidote to aging, but the magic of pu-erh tea is much more than that.
Researchers have found that Pu-erh tea also contains a special substance - Pu-erh tea special theaflavin, which has a significant lipid-lowering effect and can help break down excess fat in the body.
It's no wonder that some people say that Pu'er tea is a diet pill to drink, but it is important to note that this does not mean that we can drink it in moderation.
Scientists recommend that the daily consumption should not exceed 10 grams, especially for pregnant women and children, because in addition to these well-known benefits, Pu-erh tea has some lesser-known benefits.
For example, it is rich in trace elements manganese and zinc, which are essential trace elements for the human body and are essential for bone development and nervous system function.
Zinc is key to maintaining the proper functioning of the immune system, but the value of Pu-erh tea is not limited to its material composition.
In traditional Chinese culture, tea tasting is more of an art of living, a way of self-cultivation, imagine a quiet afternoon, the sun spills obliquely into the windowsill.
You brew a pot of pu-erh and sip it gently. The rich aroma of tea lingers on the tip of the nose, and the mellow taste blooms on the tip of the tongue, as if time has slowed down at this moment, and the impetuousness in the heart has also calmed down.
This state of tranquility and serenity is a medicine in itself, and modern medical research has shown that long-term relaxation can help lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and may even prolong life.
What's more interesting is that different years of Pu'er tea will bring different experiences, and the new tea is refreshing and bright, like the vitality of youth; Aged tea is mellow and long, like the precipitation of years.
Tasting Pu'er from different years is like traveling through the long river of time, experiencing the flow of time, and of course, to truly taste the essence of Pu'er tea, it takes some skills.
When purchasing, we should pay attention to the appearance, smell and soup color of the tea, and then soak it in hot water at 80-90 degrees, and the time should be 3-5 minutes.
It embodies the essence of China's thousand-year-old tea culture, and glows with new vitality under the watering of modern science and technology.
How to buy and taste high-quality Pu-erh tea
After learning about the production process, safety and health value of Pu-erh tea, we can't help but ask: how can we choose a high-quality Pu-erh tea and taste it in the best possible way.
This question involves all aspects of purchasing, storing and tasting Pu-erh tea, and first of all, when buying Pu-erh tea, we need to keep our eyes open.
Pu'er tea produced by regular manufacturers usually has complete packaging and clear product information, but appearance alone is not enough, we also need to see with our eyes, smell with our nose, and taste with our tongue.
High-quality Pu'er tea, dry tea should be uniform in color, without obvious impurities and mildew, gently pinch a pinch of tea leaves, smell it, it should have a fresh and natural aroma, not musty or other peculiar smells.
If conditions permit, you can ask the store to brew a small cup to taste, the soup should be clear and translucent, and the taste should be mellow and sweet.
The storage of Pu'er tea purchased back is also a science, and Pu'er tea is afraid of moisture, light, and odor.
The ideal storage environment should be a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, and if possible, you can choose a special tea storage jar or tea cabinet.
Remember not to put pu-erh tea with other strong-smelling items to avoid flavor transfer, as proper storage will not only preserve the quality of pu-erh tea, but also allow it to grow fragrant over time.
This is the unique charm of Pu-erh tea, a good Pu-erh tea, after 10, 20 years or even longer storage, tends to burst out with a more complex and rich aroma and taste.
However, no matter how good the tea is, if the brewing method is not right, it is difficult to show its true charm, and the water temperature is the key to brewing Pu'er tea.
It is usually recommended to use hot water at about 95 degrees, too high water temperature will destroy the active ingredients in the tea, and too low water temperature will make it difficult to fully release the aroma and taste of the tea.
From the second brew, the official tea tasting is done, and the time of each brew can start from 15 seconds and gradually increase until the aroma and taste of the tea begin to weaken.
Tasting Pu'er tea is a process that needs to mobilize the senses of the whole body, first observe the color of the tea soup with your eyes, and the color of a good Pu'er tea soup should be bright and thorough.
Then use your nose to smell the aroma of the tea, feel the changes in the layers, and finally taste it, let the tea stay in the mouth for a while, and experience its mellowness, sweetness and throat rhyme.
epilogue
Pu'er tea, a tea product that has lasted for thousands of years, not only carries a profound cultural heritage, but also has won the favor of many lovers with its unique charm and health value.
As long as we choose formal channels, store them reasonably, and drink them in moderation, we can safely enjoy this gift from nature.
Let us treat tradition with a scientific attitude and taste life in a rational way, so that the precious cultural heritage of Pu'er tea will shine with new brilliance in modern life.
Resources:
On November 5, 2020, China Quality News Network issued the "Notice of the Market Supervision and Administration Bureau of Lincang City, Yunnan Province on the Supervision and Sampling of Tea and Related Products (Twelfth Phase) in 2020"
On December 2, 2019, People's Daily Online released "Easy to Fire Selected Shengpu Poor Stomach Pick Ripe Tea"
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