GB/T 24690-2018Teabags (English PDF)

Foreword

This standard was drafted in accordance with the rules given in GB/T 1.1-2009. This standard replaces GB/T 24690-2009 "bag tea." Compared with GB/T 24690-2009, the main technical changes in this standard are as follows:

--- Instead of QB/T 1458 "non heat-sealing tea filter paper" by GB/T 28121 "non heat-sealing tea filter paper";

--- Replace QB/T 2595 "heat sealed tea filter paper" by GB/T 25436 "heat sealed tea filter paper";

---Instead of SB/T 10035 "General technical conditions for tea sales and packaging" by GH/T 1070 "General rules for tea packaging" and SB/T 10037 "Black tea, green tea, flower tea transport packaging";

--- Replace SB/T 10095 "General Technical Conditions for the Conservation of Tea Storage" by GB/T 30375 "Tea Storage";

--- Replace SB/T 10157 "Tea Sensory Evaluation Method" by GB/T 23776 "Method for Tea Sensory Evaluation";

---The decision of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China on Amending the "Regulations on the Administration of Food Labeling" (National Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine) General Administration of International Trade Decree [2009] No. 123)" instead of "Regulations on the Administration of Food Labeling, Order of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine [2007] No. 102";

--- Replacing GB 11680, the food package is replaced by GB 4806.8, National Food Safety Standard for Food Contact Paper and Board Materials and Products. Loading paper hygiene standards;

---Replace GB 16332 "Food Packaging Materials" by GB 4806.7 "National Food Safety Standard for Food Contact Materials and Products" Hygienic Standard for Nylon Molded Products;

--- Replacing GB/T 8304 "Tea Moisture Determination", GB 5009.3 "Determination of moisture in foods in national standards for food safety";

--- Replace GB/T 8306 "Determination of total ash in tea" by GB 5009.4 "Determination of ash in foods of national standards for food safety";

--- Added GB 4806.1 "National Food Safety Standards for Food Contact Materials and Products General Safety Requirements";

--- Added GB 4806.9 "National Food Safety Standards for Food Contact Metal Materials and Products";

--- Deleted GB/T 22290 "Determination of rare earth elements in tea inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry";

1 Scope

China's national product standard for teabags. It specifies the terms and definitions, the product classification, the requirements, the test methods, the inspection rules and the labelling, packaging, transport and storage of tea packed in bags for infusion. A teabag is a different product from the tea inside it, and the standard has to cover both halves. The tea itself is usually fannings or dust rather than leaf - the small grades that infuse quickly, which is the point, since a teabag is expected to give a full cup in a minute or two where leaf tea takes several. That means the material is the fraction the tea grading standards treat as a by-product, and its quality is assessed differently: what matters is the infusion rate, the liquor produced and the absence of stalk and extraneous matter, rather than the appearance of the dry leaf. The bag is the other half and it is the part with the safety requirements. It is a food contact material that is immersed in near-boiling water, so its composition, its wet strength - a bag that tears releases the leaf into the cup - and what migrates out of it are all specified: the filter paper and any heat-seal fibre in it, the thread and the tag and the staple where one is used, and the limits on the substances that could transfer. Fluorescent whitening agents are controlled because a whitened paper in hot water is a direct route into the drink. So the requirements cover the tea grade and its moisture, ash, water extract and impurity content, the bag material and its wet strength and permeability, the fill weight and its tolerance, and the microbiological and contaminant limits. Issued on 6 February 2018 and in force since 1 June 2018, it replaces GB/T 24690-2009.

This standard specifies the terms and definitions, classification, requirements, test methods, inspection rules, label signs, packaging, transportation and storage of teabags. This standard applies to teabags (including tea made by the process of flowering) as raw materials and teabags packed with filter materials. This standard does not apply to teabags with other botanical raw materials and flavors and fragrances.

2 Normative references

The following documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only dated versions apply to this article Pieces. For undated references, the latest version (including all amendments) applies to this document.

GB/T 191 packaging, storage and transportation logo

GB 2762 National Food Safety Standard Contaminant Limits in Food

GB 2763 National Food Safety Standard Maximum Residue Limits of Pesticides in Foods

GB 4806.1 National Standard for Food Safety General Safety Requirements for Food Contact Materials and Products

GB 4806.7 Food Safety National Standards Food Contact Plastic Materials and Products

GB 4806.8 National Standard for Food Safety Paper and Paperboard Materials and Products for Food Contact

GB 4806.9 Food Safety National Standards Food Contact Metal Materials and Products

GB 5009.3 National Food Safety Standard Determination of Moisture in Food

GB 5009.4 Determination of Ash Content in Foodstuffs National Food Safety Standard

GB 7718 national standards for food safety pre-packaged food labeling GB/T 8302 tea sampling

GB/T 8305 Tea Leaching Determination

GB/T 23776 Tea sensory evaluation method

GB/T 25436 heat-sealing tea filter paper

3 Terms and Definitions

The following terms and definitions apply to this document.

3.1 Green tea, black tea, oolong tea, white tea, yellow tea, black tea, and tea buds made from the buds, leaves, and tender stems of Camelliasinensis (L.) O. Kuntze.