The Tea Board of India has issued a notification on Wednesday that any company selling flavoured teas can add flavours up to 5 per cent, single or as a blend, with tea.

The move, sources said, has been made to ensure that all flavoured teas — ginger, lemon, cardamom, among others — adequate tea and not only flavouring substances .

In India, anybody selling flavoured teas needs to obtain a license from the Tea Board.

“Any such tea where it is found that flavour has been added beyond 5 per cent, shall not be considered for issuance of registration by the Tea Board,” said a source in the board.

According to him, there are instances shere some flavoured tea manufacturers have used minimal tea, even less than 51 per cent, in the product.

“This reduces the original and special characteristics of tea as a whole. It is true that there is a demand for flavoured teas among a section of consumers, but this the inherent aroma and unique characters of tea can’t be compromised with,” the source added.

Tea planters based in north Bengal said flavouring agents like crude fibre, water extract, granules and essential oils are blended with teas to make different flavour teas.

To find out what can be the upper cap of flavours which are mixed in teas, the board had consulted researchers of the Tea Research Association and the United Planters’ Association of India, along with other tea associations of the tea growing regions of the country.

“Based on their recommendations, the board has come up with this notification of 5 per cent cap. We believe it will help the tea industry and ensure quality is maintained while blending various flavours with teas. We welcome the initiative,” said Bijoygopal Chakraborty, president, Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers’ Associations.

Special plucking
To encourage production of quality teas, the tea board has come up with a circular that tea estates can go for special plucking on May 21, the International Tea Day.

“They (tea producers) can mention in the packets that the leaves were plucked on this special day. Auction of these teas would be carried out electronically at eight auction centres across the country on June 20,” said a source in the board.