Tea Origin Identification Technology

Tea and Beverage Research Station, MOA

The Tea and Beverage Research Station (TBRS) developed the “Multi-Element Analysis Method for Tea”, which was publicly announced by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) on November 5, 2021, as a recommended analytical method (TFDAF0032.00). This method has been applied in projects commissioned by the Executive Yuan’s Food Safety Office and the Agriculture and Food Agency for domestic tea traceability and origin testing of competition teas, ensuring the rights and interests of both tea farmers and consumers.

TBRS has also submitted a “Tea Origin Identification Method”, which has been granted an invention patent by the Intellectual Property Office, Ministry of Economic Affairs (see Figure 1 for the patent certificate). This pioneering tea origin identification method establishes a scientific foundation for the traceability of Taiwan’s agricultural products.

The development of this technology originated from the fact that Taiwanese Oolong teas—such as High-mountain Oolong Tea and Tongding Oolong Tea—are mainly produced from tea cultivars like Chin-Shin Oolong and TTES No. 12 (Jin Xuan). In recent years, countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and China have introduced these Taiwanese tea cultivars, along with the machinery and processing techniques, to produce imitations known as “Taiwan-style Oolong Tea.” Because these teas share the same cultivars and manufacturing methods as Taiwanese teas, neither DNA molecular identification nor sensory evaluation can effectively distinguish between genuine High-mountain Oolong Tea and Tongding Oolong Tea and their foreign imitations.

However, since the elemental composition of soil varies across regions, the elements absorbed by tea plants differ as well, resulting in distinct elemental profiles in the finished teas. Therefore, TBRS employed Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to analyze the trace elemental characteristics of teas from different countries. Based on the multi-element database established by TBRS, a scientific identification technology was developed to distinguish Taiwanese teas from foreign teas, achieving an accuracy rate of 98%.

This technology has been transferred to the following organizations:

• SGS Taiwan Ltd.
• Taiwan Testing and Certification Center (ETC)
• Soil Survey and Testing Center, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, National Chung Hsing University (SSTC)

Tea farmers or tea companies requiring tea origin verification services may contact these service providers. Together, they help safeguard farmers’ incomes and protect consumer rights.

TBRS has since continued to develop the “Multi-Element Analysis Method for Strip-Shaped Paochong Tea,” which was publicly announced by the TFDA in March 2025 as a recommended analytical method (TFDAF0040.00). The results of this technology can serve not only as a basis for verifying the origin labeling of commercially available teas but also be applied to the promotion of specialty teas and origin-labeling systems, thereby enhancing the brand image of Taiwanese tea, strengthening consumer trust, and maintaining order in the domestic tea market.

SGS Service Hotlines:
Taipei: +886-2-22993279 ext. 6652–6654
Taichung: +886-4-23591515 ext. 2702, 2708
Kaohsiung: +886-7-3012121 ext. 3290–3295

ETC Service Hotline:
Food Safety and Cosmetic Analysis Laboratory
Phone: +886-3-3280026 ext. 688, 689, 734

SSTC Service Hotline:
Phone: +886-4-22840376