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Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Matcha Overview

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Matcha compared with green tea

Aspect Green Tea Matcha
Form Steeped loose leaves or bags, then discarded Whole leaf ground to powder and fully consumed
Growing Grown in sun Shaded for about three weeks before harvest, increasing amino acid (L-theanine) production
Nutrient delivery Partial extraction into water Whole leaf includes antioxidants, L-theanine, caffeine, chlorophyll, and fibre
Processing steps Harvest, heat/steam, roll, dry Steaming, drying, de-stemming, de-veining, and stone-grinding
Land/soil demands Standard tea cultivation Requires specific soil and climate conditions, plus shading infrastructure and stone-grinding capacity

Table 1.0: Comparison of green tea and matcha[1][2]

Supply and sustainability

Japanese matcha output rose from 1,471 tonnes in 2010 to 4,176 tonnes in 2023, and more than half of it is now exported.[3] That growth has come from land already under tea rather than from new planting. Tea shrubs take up to five years to reach maturity, and the number of tea farmers in Japan fell from more than 53,000 in 2000 to 12,353 in 2020, so the constraint is time and labour rather than available land.[3] Grinding is a further bottleneck, since one stone mill produces about 40 g of matcha per hour.[3] Producers have responded by converting existing sencha fields to tencha. Shizuoka Prefecture is encouraging that shift, and the agriculture ministry adopted a policy to raise tencha production in fiscal 2025.[4]

Across green tea production, the largest environmental impact comes from the processing stage, mainly through electricity use.[5]

Caffeine

Reported caffeine content is 18.9 to 44.4 mg/g in matcha, against 11.3 to 24.67 mg/g in other green teas.[1] Because the powder is consumed rather than steeped and discarded (Table 1.0), that content carries into the cup. A preparation used in the research literature takes 1.75 g of powder to 100 mL of water, which puts a single serving at 33 to 78 mg of caffeine.[6]

Health Canada publishes maximum recommended daily caffeine intakes, which can be set against the mass of matcha that would supply them.

Group Maximum daily caffeine Equivalent mass of matcha
Healthy adults 400 mg 9 to 21 g
Pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy 300 mg 7 to 16 g
Children 10 to 12 85 mg 1.9 to 4.5 g
Children 7 to 9 62.5 mg 1.4 to 3.3 g
Children 4 to 6 45 mg 1.0 to 2.4 g

Table 2.0: Health Canada maximum daily caffeine intakes and the equivalent mass of matcha[7]

One 1.75 g serving of a high-caffeine matcha exceeds the maximum recommended for any child under 10, and approaches the maximum for a child aged 10 to 12.

Matcha is commonly compared to coffee on caffeine content, and by mass the powder is the more concentrated of the two. Coffee beans hold 10.0 to 12.0 mg/g against matcha's 18.9 to 44.4 mg/g.[1] A cup of coffee is brewed from considerably more material than goes into a serving of matcha, so the per-serving comparison does not follow from the per-gram one.

Chemical composition

Matcha's main bioactive compounds are listed below, as collected in a review of its composition:[1]

  • Catechins: a phenolic compound that contributes to matcha's antioxidant properties[1]
  • Caffeine: a bitter compound. Studies have shown that matcha contains more caffeine than other green teas, but the levels vary depending on cultivation environment, the cultivar used, and leaf age.[1]
  • Phenolic Acids: Metabolites reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties[1]
  • Rutin: A phenolic compound associated with anti-inflammatory activity and cardiovascular benefits[1]
  • Quercetin: A chemical compound reported to have neuroprotective properties[1]
  • Vitamin C: An essential micronutrient for humans[1]
  • Chlorophyll: Gives matcha its vibrant, green colour[1]
  • L-Theanine: An amino acid that gives matcha its unique, non-astringent taste. Studies have shown that matcha has greater L-theanine content than other green teas.[1]

The chemical composition of matcha can change during processing. Milling increases the extraction rate of polyphenolic compounds, and brewing time and temperature can also increase antioxidant capacity.[1]

Food chemistry during processing

Selection of tea cultivars

Farmers select different varieties of tea leaves based on their desired flavour profile. For matcha, colour and taste are the two primary factors considered, with preferred traits including a deep green colour, umami taste, and low astringency.[2] High chlorophyll content contributes to this deep green colour, while amino acids contribute to the rich flavour. As a result, cultivars such as Yabukita are heavily favoured for matcha production in Japan because their high amino acid profiles and deep green colour thrive under the strict shading conditions required.[2]

Shading and fertilization

Tea plants grown for high quality matcha are shaded for around 2-3 weeks before harvest.[2] Studies have shown that shading increases the chlorophyll and amino acid content of the leaves, which promotes the preferred traits of matcha.[8]

Fertilizer is commonly added to accelerate the growth of the tea plants. This is especially important because the shaded environment reduces the leaves' exposure to sunlight, inhibiting photosynthesis and reducing growth rate. Adding fertilizer also reduces the bitterness and enhances the taste of tea leaves.[2]

From harvest to packaging

After harvest, fresh tea leaves go through the following process:

  1. Leaves are spread apart and cut.[2]
  2. The cut leaves are steamed.[2]
  3. The leaves are partially dried and crushed to produce tencha.[2]
  4. The tencha is milled into fine-grained powder.[2]
  5. After screening and metal detection, the matcha is packed and ready for distribution.[2]

Steaming fixation inactivates the leaf's enzymes within roughly 20 seconds of harvest.[2] Deactivating these enzymes prevents chlorophyll breakdown, resulting in higher pigment concentrations in the steamed leaves.[9] Drying triggers mild Maillard reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars, which generate roasted aroma compounds and umami-tasting Amadori products.[10] Higher drying temperatures reduce catechin content.[11] Milling method changes the mouthfeel and chemical profile of matcha, and stone-, bead- and cyclone-milled products differ in particle size and surface morphology.[2] Grinding finer than about 18 μm is not simply better. Catechin and theanine contents fall as particle size drops from 17.9 to 10.6 μm.[2]

Labelling, packaging and preservation

Regulatory status

The compositional standard for tea in Canada sits at Volume 17 of the Canadian Food Compositional Standards, a Canadian Food Inspection Agency document incorporated by reference into the Food and Drug Regulations.[12] It was moved there in 2024, when SOR/2024-244, s. 116 repealed Division 20 of the regulations.[13][14]

Labelling

Caffeine content is not stated quantitatively on matcha packaging in Canada. Prepackaged foods must declare a list of ingredients, but no regulation requires the amount of caffeine to be given.[15] Health Canada's guidance on quantitative caffeine labelling is voluntary, and it does not apply to well-known sources of caffeine including coffee, tea and chocolate.[15] The guidance asks that caffeine be declared in milligrams per stated serving where the source is less familiar, such as guarana or yerba maté.[15] Since green teas such as matcha are commonly known to contain caffeine, there is no need to indicate the caffeine content on matcha packaging besides indicating the matcha powder in the ingredients list. It should also be noted that in the case of decaffeinated matcha, the ingredients list contains decaf matcha powder as opposed to just matcha powder.

Packaging and preservation

Matcha is sensitive to light and air. Chlorophyll degrades to pheophytins and pheophorbides, which are brownish, so the powder loses its green colour.[16] This is unfavourable, because green colour is treated as a quality attribute and determines trade value.[16] Matcha is also sensitive to moisture and heat. It is dry enough to be hygroscopic, taking up water vapour from the air during packaging, transport and storage. That uptake reduces total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity.[17] Green tea loses more than black tea under the same conditions, and the effect is largest at high ambient humidity.[17] Storage temperature acts the same way. Catechin content and antioxidant activity in matcha both fall as storage temperature and time increase.[18] Packaging should be designed to avoid exposure to light and heat, and should be air-tight.

Matcha tins and other products
Varieties of teas in foil-lined pouches.

Common packaging types are metal tins and pouches with a foil lining and plastic outer layer. The metal acts as a barrier to light and air, the plastic provides structure, and both can be fully sealed against air and moisture.

After opening, exposure to air and moisture degrades the product faster, so it should be used quickly. Higher-quality or ceremonial grade matcha is commonly packaged in small amounts to limit how much is exposed once opened.

Exam question

Question: A 1.75 g serving of matcha delivers more caffeine than a cup of green tea brewed from an equal mass of leaf of equal caffeine content. What is the main reason?

A) Shading before harvest increases caffeine synthesis in the leaf

B) Stone-grinding generates heat that concentrates caffeine

C) The whole leaf is consumed, rather than only the compounds that extract into water

D) Matcha is harvested from a different cultivar with naturally higher caffeine

Correct answer: C

Why this belongs on the final: It tests whether a student can separate a property of the food from a property of the preparation. Shading does change leaf composition and is a genuinely attractive distractor, but it is not what drives the per-serving difference. The same reasoning transfers to any extraction-based process covered in the course, since what reaches the consumer depends on the fraction that partitions into the extracting phase, not on the total present in the raw material.

Citations

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Kochman, J., Jakubczyk, K., Antoniewicz, J., Mruk, H., & Janda, K. (2021). Health benefits and chemical composition of matcha green tea: A review. Molecules, 26(1), 85. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26010085
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Ye, J.-H., Fang, Q.-T., Zeng, L., et al. (2023). A comprehensive review of matcha: Production, food application, potential health benefits, and gastrointestinal fate of main phenolics. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 64(22), 7959–7980. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2023.2194419
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kerr, C. (2025, February 23). Japan struggles to fend off a world without enough matcha. The Japan Times. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/02/23/food-drink/matcha-shortage-global-solutions/
  4. ↑ Jiji. (2026, February 26). Shizuoka aims to reclaim top tea status with focus on matcha. The Japan Times. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/26/japan/shizuoka-tea-matcha-focus/
  5. ↑ Sun, M., Jia, X., Yang, D., Lu, B., Han, F., & Shi, F. (2024). Life cycle environmental impact assessment of green tea production in China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 434, 140377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.140377
  6. ↑ Jakubczyk, K., Kochman, J., Kwiatkowska, A., Kałduńska, J., Dec, K., Kawczuga, D., & Janda, K. (2020). Antioxidant properties and nutritional composition of matcha green tea. Foods, 9(4), 483. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9040483
  7. ↑ Health Canada. (n.d.). Caffeine in foods. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/caffeine-foods.html
  8. ↑ Chen, X., Ye, K., Xu, Y., Zhao, Y., & Zhao, D. (2022). Effect of shading on the morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics as well as the transcriptome of matcha green tea. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(22), 14169. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232214169
  9. ↑ Kowalska, J., Marzec, A., Domian, E., Kowalska, H., Ciurzyńska, A., & Galus, S. (2021). Influence of tea brewing parameters on the antioxidant potential of infusions and extracts depending on the degree of processing of the leaves of Camellia sinensis. Molecules, 26(16), 4773. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26164773
  10. ↑ Wang, H., Chen, L., Xu, A., Zhao, Y., Wang, Y., Liu, Z., & Xu, P. (2024). Thermochemical reactions in tea drying shape the flavor of tea: A review. Food Research International, 197, 115188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115188
  11. ↑ Mao, Y.-L., Wang, J.-Q., Wang, F., Cao, Q.-Q., Yin, J.-F., & Xu, Y.-Q. (2024). Effect of different drying temperature settings on the color characteristics of Tencha. Food Chemistry: X, 24, 101963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101963
  12. ↑ Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (n.d.). Canadian Food Compositional Standards, Volume 17 – Tea. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/about-cfia/acts-and-regulations/list-acts-and-regulations/documents-incorporated-reference/canadian-food-compositional-standards-0
  13. ↑ Food and Drug Regulations (C.R.C., c. 870), Division 20, ss. B.20.001–B.20.005 [Repealed, SOR/2024-244, s. 116]. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._870/page-28.html
  14. ↑ Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Concerning Food Additives and Compositional Standards, Microbiological Criteria and Methods of Analysis for Food, SOR/2024-244, Canada Gazette Part II, Vol. 158, No. 26 (18 December 2024). https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2024/2024-12-18/html/sor-dors244-eng.html
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Health Canada. (2010). Preliminary guidance for industry on the labelling of caffeine content in prepackaged foods. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/legislation-guidelines/guidance-documents/preliminary-guidance-industry-labelling-caffeine-content-prepackaged-foods-march-2010.html
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Herrera, M., Viera, I., & Roca, M. (2022). HPLC–MS2 analysis of chlorophylls in green teas establishes differences among varieties. Molecules, 27(19), 6171. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196171
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Ocieczek, A., Pukszta, T., Żyłka, K., & Kirieieva, N. (2023). The influence of storage conditions on the stability of selected health-promoting properties of tea. LWT, 184, 115029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2023.115029
  18. ↑ Kim, J. M., Kang, J. Y., Park, S. K., Han, H. J., Lee, K. Y., Kim, A. N., Kim, J. C., Choi, S. G., & Heo, H. J. (2020). Effect of storage temperature on the antioxidant activity and catechins stability of Matcha (Camellia sinensis). Food Science and Biotechnology, 29, 1261–1271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-020-00772-0
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