STANDARDIZATION OF QUALITY ASSESSMENT PARAMETERS OF GREEN TEA FOR ORGANOLEPTIC TASTING METHOD IN BANGLADESH

The quality of green tea, a growing sector in Bangladesh’s tea industry, is predominantly assessed through organoleptic methods involving human sensory tasting. However, the absence of standardized evaluation parameters often leads to inconsistencies in grading and quality assurance. This study aims to standardize the quality assessment parameters for green tea in Bangladesh using the organoleptic tasting method. Tea samples from various estates were evaluated based on three primary sensory attributes: Dry Leaf Appearances, Infused Leaf Appearances, and Liquor Characteristics. Dry Leaf Appearance was graded alphabetically from A (Extraordinary) to D (Poor), with emphasis on leaf uniformity, curl, twist, color, and aroma. Infused Leaf Appearances were classified by color and structural integrity, ranging from bright green whole leaves (Excellent) to dull or broken leaves (Poor). Liquor quality was rated on a numerical scale from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Extraordinary), considering factors such as greenish color, astringency, bitterness, body, brightness, freshness and tea characters. The proposed grading system offers a structured approach to sensory evaluation, supporting consistent quality determination across different tea estates. By aligning grading descriptors with sensory benchmarks, the system enhances communication among producers, tasters, and buyers while fostering quality control and transparency in the domestic and international green tea market. The adoption of these standardized parameters is expected to improve the credibility and marketability of Bangladeshi green tea, while also serving as a foundation for training professional tea tasters and promoting industry-wise best practices.