Kinetics of tea infusion. Part 3: the effect of tea bag size and shape on the rate of caffeine extraction from Ceylon orange pekoe tea

The rate of infusion of caffeine from Ceylon Orange Pekoe tea of leaf size 1.4–2 mm in loose form and inside a tea bag membrane was determined at 80°C. The tea bags were varied in size and shape. It was found that the rate constant increased significantly with an increase in tea bag size until the ratio of tea leaf to tea bag size was 1:10. The results also indicate that the shape of a tea bag had no influence on the rate of infusion, and that the tea bag membrane offered some hindrance to the infusion of caffeine.