
In China, prestigious Agricultural Universities have separate Tea Departments. The study of Tea is taken seriously. The plant is studied in all its forms - the various cultivars, how it is grown, harvested, manufactured and its numerous properties. Tests are conducted for polyphenols, caffeine, moisture, beneficial properties and other aspects. Large tea companies housed Tea Museums and well-equipped laboratories. We were fortunate to have visited the Hunan Agricultural University and were given a detailed tour of the Tea Department. Various labs held the latest versions of testing equipment and it is common for Quality Control department of tea companies to be led by graduates from these prestigious universities. The general classification of tea originating from the camellia sinensis plant genus is dissected in detail into multiple tea cultivars with each examined in detail.


