How to store matcha green tea powder?

Do you wonder why the matcha you are storing loses its freshness and flavor so easily? Follow this article to find out how to store matcha green tea powder effectively.

Contents

Introduction

How long can you keep your matcha is influenced directly by how you store it. Matcha is easily affected by environmental conditions, so understanding the factors affecting it is crucial to choose the ideal containers. In this article, FGC will provide useful information to help you keep your matcha fresh and flavorful for longer.

What are the factors affecting matcha green tea powder during storage?

To keep your matcha green tea powder stay fresh as long as possible, understanding the factors affecting its quality is crucial. As matcha can be exposed to oxygen, whenever you open it, it starts to deteriorate. Matcha can lose its flavor, aroma, and hue because of its sensitivity to light, heat, air, and moisture. Besides, the oxidation process can lead to a bitter and stale taste, making it unable to drink or use. Therefore, it is necessary to keep matcha green tea powder away from these elements to protect its quality.

Matcha is sensitive to light, air, temperature, and moisture

How long does matcha green tea powder last?

Generally, instructions on labels might say that matcha powder is still good for one or two years, and how you store it plays an important role during storage time. However, you can still consume it even after the expiration date as long as it is clear of mold. Although it might not taste good, it is still safe to consume, such as in many baked goods. Matcha might go bad, but it is not the same way as milk or cheese does. If you don’t store it in a proper way, it might gradually lose its freshness and flavor. As matcha will lose its quality after time, it is best to be consumed one month after opening.

So, how to recognize whether or not your matcha is fresh? The first factor is its color. The fresh one has a bright, beautiful, and vibrant green color. When it is old or bad, the hue might change into brownish, which can bring a terrible experience for drinkers. Additionally, when you open the matcha container, there should be a fresh and grassy smell. Besides, the texture of fresh matcha should be fluffy, airy, which is easily whiskable with no hard lumps.

Matcha has best taste after a month of opening

Containers

As matcha is so sensitive to the environment, choosing the right container is essential. The suitable containers can help your matcha stay fresh longer and be protected from oxidation or impacts of the surrounding environment, such as light, air, and moisture. What you choose to keep your matcha might lead to the differences in aroma and color over time. There are some criteria when selecting a proper matcha package, such as material, size, and airtight seals.

Regarding materials, tin and ceramic are the two most best choices. However, each type will have its own benefits and drawbacks. For instance, tin containers can protect matcha from air and moisture well. However, they are not suitable for long-term purposes because they can be rusted over time. On the other hand, ceramic materials are long-lasting and effectively protect matcha from temperature changes. Nevertheless, ceramic is quite heavy and difficult to move.

Depending on the amount of matcha you want to store, you should choose the containers that fit just right. While a too tiny container does not give the matcha enough room to breathe, a too big one might create more air pockets that can speed up oxidation. Besides, you should also pay attention to the airtight seals when selecting matcha containers. It is suggested to choose the one with a good airtight seal or a secure and tight-fitting lid to avoid oxygen and moisture from entering. A tip to check the seal is to shake the container and listen to whether it has any rattling sounds.

matcha containers — Matcha is best kept in tin or ceramic containers with airtight seals

Storage conditions

Matcha is a sensitive tea which can easily come in contact with temperature, humidity, light and air exposure. So, what are the optimal storage conditions of matcha?

Temperature is the first factor that you should consider when storing matcha, as hot conditions might promote degradation, making it lose its freshness and flavor faster. The ideal temperature for keeping matcha is about 0°C to 20°C. You can consider storing it in the refrigerator, but make sure to use an airtight container to avoid humidity and not to freeze it.

In addition, the ideal condition to store matcha is a dry environment with under 60% humidity. Too wet matcha will get stale and lose its quality. A container with a good airtight seal is recommended to avoid excessive moisture and air from getting in. You can deal with a humid environment by using a silica gel packet to absorb excess moisture.

Furthermore, matcha should be kept in a dark place, away from direct light, including sunlight or bright artificial light. Long exposure to light might lead to the breakdown of chlorophyll in matcha, losing its freshness, aroma, and flavor. A cupboard or pantry is considered suitable places to keep matcha.

What are tips for long-term matcha storage?

Besides the simple guidelines of how to store matcha green tea powder, there are several tips that might help you during matcha storage. Firstly, for unopened matcha, until you are ready to use it, it is recommended to preserve it in its original packing. Unopened matcha can be stored for up to six months without reducing quality.

Another tip is to rotate your matcha container on a regular basis, and try to use your older stock first to always consume the freshest matcha. You should note the opening dates outside each container to follow its freshness. Besides, as fresh matcha will bring the best experience, remember to buy a suitable amount based on your purposes. Today, it is easy to access matcha green tea powder in the supermarkets, convenient stores, or even online shopping, so do not purchase too much if you will not use it all in the next few months.

You should only buy an appropriate amount of matcha

About Future Generation Co.,Ltd

Future Generation Company Limited is one of the largest beverage suppliers in Vietnam, with 26 years of experience in production and export. FGC is equipped with modern machines such as Hotfill PET and TetraPak, ensuring high-capacity production. FGC strives to achieve our mission to become Vietnam’s leading healthy beverage company. Our factories also meet international standards such as ISO, HACCP, HALAL, etc. In addition, we constantly innovate our machinery system, strengthen production capacity, and increase productivity.

FGC also provides Private Label Services. With this service, we can help customers in researching and formulating beverages, designing product label packaging, and creating their own brands. This is an ideal solution for small and medium enterprises. Moreover, FGC provides free samples for customers to test before bulk orders. We also ensure delivery as fast as possible.