| Identity, Classification and Product Definition |
| Product identity | Green tea in finely milled powder form, intended to be consumed by suspending the powder in water rather than by infusion and filtration. | Product description, technical data sheet, sample inspection and manufacturing-process review. | Must match specification
Product must be clearly identified as powdered green tea and not as a flavored blend or unrelated botanical powder. | Approve the product specification before purchase-order release. |
| ISO 11287 alignment | Use ISO 11287:2017 as the reference for the definition and basic requirements of green tea. | Document review and laboratory or third-party conformity assessment where applicable. | Conformity required
Note: ISO 11287 does not create a universal legal “ceremonial grade” category. | Use the term “ceremonial” only as a buyer-defined commercial specification supported by objective criteria. |
| Raw-material form | Shade-grown tea leaves processed into tencha or another documented green-tea raw material suitable for fine milling. | Supplier process flow, batch record, raw-material declaration and traceability documents. | Buyer target
Raw material, processing route and harvest period must be declared for every lot. | Maintain lot-level traceability from agricultural origin through milling and packing. |
| Ingredient composition | 100% matcha or powdered green tea, with no sugar, milk powder, coloring agent, flavoring or filler unless expressly specified. | Ingredient statement, supplier declaration and identity testing when required. | 100% single ingredient
No undeclared additives or substitution. | Review the certificate of analysis and allergen statement for each production lot. |
| Chemical and Functional Quality |
| Moisture | Low moisture to protect color, aroma, dispersibility and storage stability. | Validated moisture or loss-on-drying method specified by the buyer or laboratory. | Example buyer target
≤ 6.0% by mass, unless a different validated product specification is agreed. | Test each lot or according to a documented risk-based sampling plan; protect product from humidity. |
| Total catechins | Report individual catechins and the calculated total catechin content on a defined basis. | ISO 14502-2:2005, using high-performance liquid chromatography for characteristic catechins in green tea. | Trend-based target
Set the minimum from approved reference lots and report the result as mg/g or % with the reporting basis clearly stated. | Compare results by harvest, lot and storage age; do not use a single universal value as an ISO pass/fail limit. |
| Key catechin profile | Report the principal catechins, including EGCG, EGC, ECG and EC, when included within the laboratory’s validated ISO 14502-2 scope. | ISO 14502-2 HPLC chromatographic determination and laboratory calculation. | Result must be reported
Certificate should state units, test basis, method reference, laboratory and test date. | Use a consistent laboratory and reporting basis to make lots comparable. |
| Caffeine | Declare caffeine content because powdered green tea is consumed in full and naturally contains caffeine. | Validated HPLC or other fit-for-purpose laboratory method agreed in the purchase specification. | Report value
Set a buyer range only after reviewing several compliant lots and the intended serving size. | Include a consumer-facing caffeine statement where required by the destination market. |
| Color | Bright, uniform green powder appropriate to the raw material and processing method; avoid dull brown, gray or visibly oxidized appearance. | Standardized visual comparison, color measurement where available, and retained reference sample. | Buyer target
Color must be consistent with the approved reference sample and free from abnormal discoloration. | Store sealed, cool, dry and protected from light and oxygen. |
| Flavor and aroma | Fresh green, vegetal and balanced aroma with clean umami notes; no rancid, smoky, musty, sour or chemical off-notes. | Trained sensory panel using a written sensory scorecard and approved reference sample. | No critical defects
Reject lots with moldy, rancid, burnt, solvent-like or persistent foreign odors. | Conduct sensory approval before shipment and after arrival for high-value lots. |
| Particle size and dispersibility | Fine, relatively uniform powder with rapid wetting and minimal coarse residue when whisked. | Laser diffraction or sieve analysis for particle size; standardized whisking or dispersion test for practical performance. | Example buyer target
D90 ≤ 20 µm may be used as a commercial target, provided the measurement method is defined and validated. | Use the same milling and testing conditions for every comparative sample. |
| Safety and Regulatory Verification |
| Microbiological safety | Product must comply with the microbiological requirements of the destination market and intended use. | Accredited-laboratory testing for total aerobic count, yeast and mold, and specified pathogens as required by risk assessment. | Legal-market dependent
Apply the stricter of destination-market law, customer specification or validated food-safety plan. | Use hygienic processing, environmental monitoring, sanitation controls and documented corrective actions. |
| Pesticide residues | Residues must comply with the maximum residue limits applicable in the importing and selling markets. | Multi-residue pesticide screen by an accredited laboratory using a validated method. | Within applicable MRLs
No universal limit should be substituted for the legal requirements of the target market. | Review agricultural records, approved-input lists and recent residue reports. |
| Heavy metals and contaminants | Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and other relevant contaminants must meet destination-market requirements. | Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or another validated elemental-analysis method. | Within applicable limits
Specify the analytes and limits according to the destination market. | Assess soil, water, agricultural inputs, drying equipment and packaging-contact materials. |
| Foreign material and adulteration | Free from stones, metal, insects, visible mold and unauthorized plant material. | Visual inspection, sieve or metal detection, microscopy and identity/adulteration testing when risk indicates. | Zero tolerance for hazardous contamination | Require a documented food-safety plan, foreign-material controls and complaint investigation procedure. |
| Documentation, Sampling and Release |
| Certificate of analysis | Each commercial lot should be accompanied by a complete certificate of analysis. | Document review against the purchase specification. | Required before release
Include lot number, production date, test date, units, methods, results and authorized approval. | Do not release a lot with missing, inconsistent or unverifiable results. |
| Sampling plan | Representative samples must be taken from the defined lot and retained under suitable conditions. | Written sampling procedure based on lot size, packaging format and food-safety risk. | Documented plan
Use sealed retain samples sufficient for sensory, chemical and safety investigations. | Compare pre-shipment and arrival samples where the product is sensitive to oxidation or moisture gain. |
| Packaging and shelf life | Light-, oxygen- and moisture-protective food-contact packaging with a clearly defined shelf life. | Packaging specification, migration compliance documents, seal inspection and stability or historical data. | Buyer target
Packaging must protect the product throughout the declared shelf life under stated storage conditions. | Specify storage temperature, humidity, light exposure, oxygen control and “best before” format. |
| Lot traceability | Every unit must be linked to raw-material origin, processing date, milling batch, packaging batch and shipment. | Traceability exercise and records review. | One-step-back and one-step-forward traceability | Test the recall procedure periodically and retain records for the required legal period. |
| Supplier approval | Supplier must demonstrate consistent process control, competent testing and corrective-action capability. | Questionnaire, audit, certification review, sample evaluation and performance history. | Risk-based approval
Approve only after samples and documentation meet the written specification. | Requalify after major process, origin, packaging or laboratory changes. |
