Technology to help India prop up tea cultivation
The Tea Board of India is turning towards modern tea processing machines as a solution to the crisis that has gripped the country's tea industry. It is in talks with IIT Kharapgur, a technology institue, to help replace the 150 year old machines used for tea processing with modern equipment that will shorten the processing time in half, thereby reducing energy consumption. A report submitted by the Board to the institute mentions that many gardens in Darjeeling, Dooars and Assam regions are closing down due to high production costs.
Green tea may slow diabetes
Scientists at the Medical College of Georgia found that green tea antioxidants may slow or even prevent the development of type 1 diabetes. The study, carried out on laboratory mice, tested the effects of green tea's predominate antioxidant, known as EGCG, on type 1 diabetes and Sjogren's syndrome, which damages moisture-producing glands causing dry mouth and eyes. It was discovered that the antioxidant compound reduced the severity and delayed the onset of salivary gland damage associated with Sjogren's syndrome - a condition with no known cure. EGCG also dramatically slowed the development of type 1 diabetes in the rodents.
What tea leaves behind
One of the most important factors defining the current popularity of tea, particularly in the West, is undoubtedly the teabag. In retrospect, the (albeit accidental) invention of pouches that can be dunked directly into hot water has strongly impacted the spread of the beverage in the industrialized world. It made tea consumption possible in an urban setting and created a format fit for existing retail environments. It must be said that convenience came at the expense of quality, with mediocre tea grades becoming standard for most of the twentieth century.
The teabag was later improved upon by adding an individual wrapper, making it even more portable and versatile, whilst at the same time preserving contents' freshness. Curiously enough, these covers have become a collectible item for a small, yet vibrant group of tea aficionados. Especially in countries like the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, collecting tea bag covers has become a popular pastime, with sporadic fairs organized amongst these scattered communities. The fact that they are sometimes swapped online between unfamiliar collectors certainly adds to the flair.
While collecting tea bag wrappers or any other forms of packaging might not qualify as a trend itself - a trend being a more profound and noticeable socioeconomic shift in attitude and behavior - it has the merit of diligently reflecting the evolution of trends in the way tea is represented in the western society. In other words, it encapsulates the filiation of different themes and designs associated with the beverage.
For example, one recurrent theme is aristocracy - tea historically being considered a luxury beverage in the West- with references to (fictional) aristocratic and royal figures being a common leitmotif. Even industrially manufactured, tea still has the power to take us back to the eighteenth century England, where dukes and duchesses enjoyed the exquisite refreshment in fabulous palaces. Who wouldn't want a piece of blue-blooded luxury?
Another theme widely used through the years is nature, thanks to various motives of plants, animals or exotic landscapes, all telling in some way or form the story of tea's exotic provenance from places untouched by man. Tea is a natural drink after all and every possible image (tea leaf, mountains, elephants, berries, etc) has been used to reinforce tea's intimate link with nature.
So teabag covers, like other mediums of expression, can give a good idea of how tea was perceived and marketed through the years and should not be considered as mere historic artifacts. They are rich sources of "persuasive techniques" used in the past and are a fun way to look back at the evolution of this unique beverage in our society. The fact that such covers come from all over the world and are mainly suited for local audiences adds even more variety to an already diverse drink and certainly increases the "collectability" factor. It is also a great way for teabag "archaeologists" to compare the differences in the way tea is represented and drunk worldwide. And that's another way to enjoy tea!
