Effect of Compression Time on Physical Properties, Sensory Quality, and Chemical Composition of White Tea Bricks

  Effects of the compression time applied to form a tea brick on the physicalproperties, sensory quality, and chemical composition of resulting white tea productswere studied. The Fudingdabaicha white peony and Gongmei teas were compressedinto bricks with a constant pressure of 30 t for 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 s.Chemical analysis and sensory evaluation were conducted subsequently to providemeasurements for comparison and evaluation. The sensory quality of brewed teasof the tea bricks made under the compression that lasted less than 30 s was notdesirable. It was much superior when the pressure was placed on for 50 s. Witha prolonging compression, the blocks formed became harder and the contents oftotal tea polyphenols and free amino acids greater, while catechins, especially,ester catechins, rose but declined at 50 s. The steeped white tea bricks formedunder a longer compression time had a pleasant taste.