Does Tea Expire? Here is What You Should Know

From humans to tea, everything has an expiry date. So if you are wondering, does tea expire? The answer is a clear yes. The tricky part is when you have to analyse if your tea has expired or not. Then, what to do with the expired tea?

Do not worry, tea connoisseurs! We have the answers to solve all your questions. But first, let us look at the methods you can adopt to tell if the tea has expired.

How Do You Know if Tea is Expired? 5 Clear Indicators

A Stifling Smell

One of the most basic steps to check if something has expired is to examine the smell. For someone who brings the tea, home is aware of the smell it is ought to be. When you observe the difference in that smell, there is something fishy!

When you observe a stifling noxious smell coming from the teabag or the tea leaves, you have the answer to your question, does tea expire? Remember that for your tea to have rotten, it does not have to be moist or visually darkened. The only key point is, if it smells rotten, it has expired. 

So get your nose sharp and sniff it off! If you lack the sense of smell, get a friend for help! 

Loss of Flavor 

When you find your cup of tea completely tasteless, leave it! It is a sign that the tea has gone bad. Tea has a specific smell and flavor, when these fundamental properties of the tea is lost, there is nothing left in it.

It will only taste dull and pale in appearance. However, it is not always an indicator that the tea has expired. It can also be a result of leaving the tea in direct sunlight for hours. However, in any of the above conditions, the tea is of no use for you.

Discovering Molds in Tea

For the question like does tea expire? Moulds are embraced in the obvious indicators. Whether found in any quantity, if you discover a mould, let go of the tea. It may or may not be an organic mould, but its presence is the symbol of rotting.

Moulds can be tough to detect if the person uses loose tea leaves because they usually make a home at the bottom of the container. The best escape to rectify the issue would be to take a pinch of tea leaves at a time in your hands and then use it for brewing. If you ever detect moulds, the tea has expired, discard it immediately.

A Previously Opened Too Old Pack

The life of most tea leaves is limited to 2 years. If your tea pack is older than that, do not bother about it and simply put it off. Even if it is a sealed pack that has just been there on the shelf for years doing nothing. You have to discard it.

Has the Tea Expired or Lost Flavor?

It is important to note that though does tea expire has an answer, there is still air to be cleared from a doubt. Has the tea expired or simply lost flavor? The question is important as if you have a tea that has rotten, it is not qualified for human consumption. It can have moulds, insects, bugs, and harmful microorganisms in it. This tea has to be immediately discarded.

However, if the tea has just lost flavors because of various reasons, such as exposure to direct sunlight, it can still be brewed and used for consumption. However, this tea will not have any flavor. It will just be a bland cup of liquid served on your table. Further, it is your wish to consume it or not.

Guide to Properly Store your Tea

Now that you know that the answer to does tea expire is a yes, it is time to note a few pointers. We are here with a few things to keep in mind while storing your tea. Following these will help you enjoy your pack of tea for a little longer:

• Do not use an opaque jar to store it. Use an airtight solid container that will keep it away from direct sunlight.
• Do not let humidity or air seep in. Both the effects can cause mould formation in the tea leaves. 
• Do not mix beverages! Never try to store two flavours of tea or tea and coffee close. It will lead to a mix up yielding no good.
• Until and unless you are using pure teas, do not use a wooden container to store the tea.
• Store your tea at room temperatures. Keep it away from too hot or cold temperatures.

Closing Thoughts

Does tea expire? Yes. what is the solution then? Not to store too much stock in your kitchen. Always go for fresh and clean leaves. Do not forget to keep the above-said notes in your mind to save your tea leaves for a longer period of time. There are some teas like varieties of white teas and oolong tea that do not expire. However, most teas do expire. Keep your senses awake!