Quality Assurance & Sensory Evaluation
How does Byahut Tea Company evaluate tea before supplying it? We combine disciplined organoleptic cupping and physical leaf evaluation in our Siliguri tasting facility with certified chemical assays performed through independent NABL-accredited laboratories. Every candidate lot is inspected for leaf bloom, liquor strength, briskness, moisture stability, and regulatory safety before commercial release.
Quality Framework Snapshot
- • In-House Cupping: Standardized organoleptic evaluation following the ISO 3103 infusion protocol.
- • Physical Inspection: Particle uniformity, tip bloom, stalk sorting, and density verification.
- • Moisture Threshold: Moisture verified under 6.5% to ensure shelf life and transit stability.
- • External Testing: Independent NABL-accredited food laboratories perform pesticide MRL and chemical assays.
- • Benchmark Retention: Physical reference counter-samples retained for consistent repeat orders.
In-House Evaluation vs. External Laboratory Testing
Clear delineation between physical and sensory testing performed at Siliguri and chemical safety assays conducted externally.
| Evaluation Phase | Testing Location & Scope | Parameters Measured | Quality Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sensory Cupping | In-House (Siliguri Tasting Facility) | Liquor color, briskness, aroma purity, body, creaming down, and absence of taints | ISO 3103 standardized sensory protocol |
| 2. Dry Leaf Physical Inspection | In-House (Siliguri Tasting Facility) | Leaf bloom, particle uniformity, golden tips, clean cut, absence of fiber and stalk | Indian tea trade physical grading standards |
| 3. Moisture Verification | In-House (Siliguri Facility) | Moisture percentage measured to ensure moisture content remains under 6.5% | Maximum ≤6.5% moisture threshold |
| 4. Chemical & MRL Analysis | External (NABL-Accredited Partner Laboratories) | Pesticide residue screening across statutory compound lists per destination market | Destination statutory limits (FSSAI / EU / US FDA) |
| 5. Heavy Metals & Microbiology | External (NABL-Accredited Partner Laboratories) | Heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium) and microbiological load assays | Food safety compliance thresholds |
The Three Stages of Lot Evaluation
Every candidate lot passes through three evaluation checkpoints before commercial release.
1. Pre-Purchase Catalogue Cupping
Prior to auction bidding or direct estate commitment, our tasters cup invoice samples to assess liquor strength, verify leaf cut, and identify any manufacturing taints or defects.
2. Warehouse Inward Verification
Upon delivery to our Siliguri warehouse, random samples are drawn across sacks to confirm the delivered tea exactly matches the approved pre-purchase sample in leaf cut and moisture.
3. Pre-Dispatch Lot Release
Final composite samples are drawn from packed sacks for final sensory confirmation; third-party laboratory testing can be arranged on request where mandated by buyer or destination specifications prior to dispatch.
Frequently Asked Questions: Quality Assurance
How does Byahut Tea Company evaluate tea before supplying it?
Byahut evaluates candidate tea lots through a disciplined two-tiered approach: in-house sensory cupping (under the ISO 3103 protocol), visual dry leaf grading, and moisture testing in our Siliguri tasting facility, combined with external chemical and pesticide residue testing performed through independent NABL-accredited food laboratories.
What is Byahut's maximum moisture threshold for bulk tea?
Bulk tea moisture is maintained under a strict threshold of 6.5%. Controlling moisture protects the tea against microbial activity, premature aging, loss of briskness, and liquor deterioration during storage and shipping.
Does Byahut operate an in-house chemical testing laboratory?
No. Byahut operates an in-house sensory evaluation and cupping facility in Siliguri. Chemical assays, including pesticide residue screening (MRL testing), heavy metal analysis, and microbiological tests, are performed through independent, third-party NABL-accredited analytical laboratories.
Can commercial buyers request an independent Certificate of Analysis (COA)?
Yes. For commercial and export consignments, an independent Certificate of Analysis (COA) issued by an accredited third-party NABL laboratory can be provided upon request per shipment lot.
In-Depth Quality, Testing & Specification Guides
Technical educational references covering physical evaluation standards, analytical laboratory testing protocols, sensory cupping disciplines, and specification benchmarks.
Loss on Drying (LOD) oven protocols, digital halogen analyzers, and water activity (aw).
2. Tea Sensory Evaluation Guide →ISO 3103 protocol, four-stage examination: dry leaf, out-turn, liquor, and aspiration.
3. Tea Cupping Terms Glossary →Commercial tasting vocabulary: briskness, body, astringency, coppery out-turn, and defects.
4. How to Read a Tea COA →Interpreting laboratory reports: units (ppm/ppb), Limits of Quantification, and validity.
5. Tea Pesticide Testing Guide →Dual chromatography (LC-MS/MS & GC-MS/MS), Plant Protection Code, and EU MRL limits.
6. Tea Heavy Metals Testing →ICP-MS testing: Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury limits, and magnetic iron separation.
7. Tea Microbiology Testing Guide →Salmonella freedom, E. coli, yeasts & molds, Total Plate Count, and cold-brew safety.
8. Export Residue Testing Protocols →Pre-export testing workflows, accredited lab turnaround times, and container release.
9. Sample vs. Production Lot Guide →Managing agricultural variation, composite mechanical blending, and commercial tolerances.
10. Tea Quality Specification Sheet →Technical Data Sheets (TDS): physical parameters, ISO 3720 chemistry, and standards.
Request Quality Evaluation & Tasting Reports
Submit your target cup specifications to receive counter-samples with detailed sensory cupping notes from our Siliguri desk.