Tea stems are not scraps, but rather aroma warehouses

A research team from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University published a paper in *Food Chemistry* confirming that tea stems are rich in floral and fruity aroma compounds (such as β-ionone and linalool), making them a key "aroma warehouse" for oolong tea aroma formation. The sugar and amino acid content of tea stems far surpasses that of buds and leaves-sugars contribute to the sweet and mellow taste, while theanine contributes to freshness and unique aroma precursors. The national standard for Fu brick tea even requires a stem content of 15%-18%, and Shoumei white tea also owes its distinctly different rich flavor from Baihao Yinzhen to its tea stems.