To freeze or not to freeze matcha and green tea? This is a question I often get from customers.
Answer: False!
Please, do not freeze matcha and Japanese green tea. While it’s OK to refrigerate them, freezing will make them not taste as well. The reason is that tea leaves contain moisture which is a very important part in terms of the taste and nutrients.
By freezing tea, the moisture crystalizes and breaks the structure of the leaf cells, changing the taste. Additionally, low temperatures reduce the aroma of tea.
Freezing can also cause freezer burns, something we have all experienced before with our food. A freezer burn occurs when food is damaged by dehydration and oxidation; this happens more frequently when items are stored without good sealing. Thus, tea can also be damaged the same way by freezing.
So, what is the best way to store matcha and green tea?
In short, you want to store them in cool, dark spaces away from oxygen. I have written an entire article about this with recommended storage devices.
Click below to read on about proper storage method for matcha and Japanese Green tea.
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