Organic tea

[absence]

I've read several places that tea and other agricultural products marked "organic" from e.g. China often contain pesticide residue because there is little/no control of organic certification. Does it make any difference if the tea is certified by a western organisation like Ecocert, or do they just take the country of origin's word for it rather than conduct their own testing? Le Palais des Thés has a small collection of Ecocert certified tea that I'm eyeing, but other suggestions are welcome.

[Tead Off]

China has certainly garnered a reputation for itself as a nation of 'cheaters'. The press makes sure this is firmly established in the consumer's mind so you begin to fear everything Chinese. My wife is Chinese and often I find myself wondering about her. But, getting back to tea....

A tea seller like Jing Tea Shop in Guangzhou sells some teas that have Chinese certification. They seem to care about what they sell but can we believe them? They can be fooled like anyone else so you must take a leap of faith if you are going to buy organic Chinese tea. OTOH, there are farmers who are growing tea in a traditional way without any pesticides or artificial fertilizing and not labeled organic because it is usually an expensive process to achieve certification.

Countries like Taiwan and Japan probably have more controls put in place and you might be safer buying from those sources. And, some of those teas are also certified by U.S., Japanese, and, Euro Institutes. I will always try and buy organic when I can. Many sellers who don't list their teas as 'organic' still carry organic products that are not certified. Just ask them.

[britt]

I'm told by a friend who grew up in mainland China and who goes back there at least once a year that when the certifying agency goes to the tea farm, everything is done properly. When the agency leaves, everything returns to normal, which is cutting corners and increasing profits.

I've heard similar stories about organic certification in Taiwan. I've read that most locals disregard the certification because it can be bought instead of earned, and that they go more by word of mouth and what they personally know about a particular tea farm.

I purchase Chinese teas only from Hou De and Jing Tea Shop and Taiwanese teas only from Hou De. I hope they know what they're doing because I really don't. The mainland Chinese green teas I've purchased from Jing, all of which were on the relatively expensive scale, have been superb and I will buy them again regardless of whether they're certified organic. The cheaper samples they've sent have not been so good and I won't drink them. All Hou De teas have been great.

I do believe that Japanese organic certification can be trusted but I have no problem drinking regular Japanese tea either. Japanese consumers seem to be a rough crowd when it comes to quality so I think most of their food produccts are far superior to ours in the US, with the exception of a few rather expensive organic brands.

[pb2q]

This was posted in another thread recently:

U.S. Drops Inspector of Food in China

[DewDropofJade]

I agree with Tead Off. China has a really bad rep in the media, I always take it with a grain of salt because of my personal beliefs. I also agree that there are a lot of farms that are not certified organic that process their teas organically.

I think the best thing to do is find a company that sources their teas themselves. At the tea store I work for our owner and senior staff member go to every single farm in order to purchase their teas directly from the farmer and really get to know the farm and the way things are run. These farms are small and are usually located at high elevations and the teas are grown traditionally (the best way, also a personal opinion), there is no need for pesticides or additives.

I would call the company or email and ask them if they can guarantee that their teas are organic and if they visit the farms themselves. I would trust them if they are sincere and passionate about the tea.

[Chip]

The only way you can be sure, is if you have a tea tested, not very practical! And even the company you contract might just take your money and give you a false report.

Any certification agency is corruptable, but some are better than others. I was pretty fanatical about this a few years back but have grown too complacent due to the hurdles in place.

This whole subject can easily drive you nutz.

I even went so far to consider operating an independent testing company ... I still do consider this.

[virago_ns]

I even went so far to consider operating an independent testing company ... I still do consider this.

I wonder if there is a way for the consumer to test themselves aside from tasting it...

[absence]

I wonder if there is a way for the consumer to test themselves aside from tasting it...

Can you really taste if tea isn't grown organically?

The only way you can be sure, is if you have a tea tested, not very practical!

That's about what I wanted to know. I'm all for organic food, but if it's impossible to know (for a consumer without a lab) whether Chinese tea really is organic, I guess it's better to save the money for now.

[Tead Off]

There are special dogs used for sniffing teas for pesticides. They are called Lapsang Apsos.

[Chip]

Though still not practical, economically!

[Mikael]

China has certainly garnered a reputation for itself as a nation of 'cheaters'. The press makes sure this is firmly established in the consumer's mind so you begin to fear everything Chinese. My wife is Chinese and often I find myself wondering about her.

[chittychat]

I just read that only 1.6 % of tea grown in Japan is "organic". Now I have not heard of massive death in Japan from drinking all the other tea not grown "organic". In fact Japanese have the longest live expectancy in the world and that with all this "inorganic" tea they drink.

[Tead Off]

I just read that only 1.6 % of tea grown in Japan is "organic". Now I have not heard of massive death in Japan from drinking all the other tea not grown "organic". In fact Japanese have the longest live expectancy in the world and that with all this "inorganic" tea they drink.

Nothing funny about it. This is a testament to making money. Most Japanese don't give a hoot about tea or know much about it. It's not a question of health, it's a point of view. Take a look around you and tell me if your world is in balance.

[mbishop]

I wouldn't trust Chinese tea to be organic even if it says organic, but I would trust nations with more "strict" standards like Japan for example.

The trustworthiness of the vendor is important, too.

[chittychat]

I just read that only 1.6 % of tea grown in Japan is "organic". Now I have not heard of massive death in Japan from drinking all the other tea not grown "organic". In fact Japanese have the longest live expectancy in the world and that with all this "inorganic" tea they drink.

Most Japanese don't give a hoot about tea or know much about it.

That's a novum. In 2007, 48,500 ha were planted to tea in Japan producing 94,100 metric tons or 207,452,860 lb. That makes it about 2 lb of tea per head. In Japanese restaurants one can drink as much as one would like. The Japanese friends of my wife always offer tea the first thing they meet. We have 3 Japanese tea sets given as gift by Japanese and in Japanese groceries one can always find a selection of good Japanese tea.