All About Our Teas | Stash Tea

About Our Teas

Posted on February 18 2016

About Our Teas

Are your teas Kosher certified?

All of our teas are Kosher certified by KOF-K Kosher Supervision, one of the foremost certification agencies in the United States. In addition, all of our honey sticks and organic agave nectar sticks are also Kosher certified.

Which of your teas contain an allergen?

We collect statements from our ingredient suppliers stating that all of the ingredients we purchase are free of the eight U.S. recognized allergens (e.g., milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans). Therefore, to the best of our knowledge and according to our suppliers, our teas do not contain these eight allergens.

  • Lemon Blossom Tea Bag (discontinued) - Contains soy
  • Blueberry Herbal Iced Tea (discontinued) - Contains soy
  • Lemon Blossom Herbal Iced (discontinued) - Contains soy

Do your teas contain gluten?

We actively maintain signed statements from our ingredient suppliers stating that all ingredients purchased by Stash Tea Company are gluten-free. We do not use barley malt in any of our blends.

What is maltodextrin and is it used in your teas?

Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate made from corn starch. It is used in our Iced Green Tea Powders to help disperse the green tea powder in water.

What is the filter paper made of that you use in your tea bags?

The filter paper used for Stash Tea bags is made from 100% cellulose fibers (wood). Test results conclude that chlorine dioxide is not present in our tea bag filter paper. The filter paper is not coated with the compound epichlorohydrin, and does not contain any free epichlorohydrin. Stash tea bag filter paper is machine folded and pressed, therefore no glue is needed or used.

What decaffeination method does Stash Tea use?

Our decaf teas are decaffeinated using a chemical-free CO2 process. It ensures that the tea is decaffeinated very gently, preserving the majority of the tea’s flavor. Our black, green and white teas are decaffeinated using carbon dioxide, the same compound that plants breathe in daily. This process is known as effervescent decaffeination.

Our decaffeination process does not employ harmful chemicals and the CO2 is recycled afterwards. This method is considered natural and removes most of the caffeine.

Do Stash teas contain pesticides?

Stash Tea makes every effort to procure ingredients for its teas that are pesticide-free. Stash Tea continues to build its global network of suppliers and works hard to select those suppliers who minimize or have eliminated the use of pesticides in their growing of tea, herbs, and spices. We regularly test for pesticides and other chemicals that are commonly used on crops.

Pesticides used on crops must be considered “food safe” and must meet strict FDA standards for that particular crop. As with other leading tea companies around the world, Stash Tea adheres to best practice food safety guidelines when procuring its teas, herbs, and spices.

Stash Organic teas are grown without the use of any synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides.

Learn more about how the Environmental Protection Agency sets limits on pesticide residue for consumable products »

We are committed to producing all of our products in a manner that is sustainable for the planet and healthy for our consumers. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure the finest quality ingredients are used and that procurement is managed in an environmentally responsible and ethical manner.

Do Stash teas contain lead?

Stash Tea supports the position of the Tea Association of the USA in noting that tea continues to not only be one of the most consumed beverages in the world—second only to water—but also continues to be a safe and healthful beverage.

Trace amounts of lead and other minerals are a part of nature and a byproduct of agriculture and industrialization. They are present in our soil and water. These minerals are inherent and unavoidable where food crops are grown and animals used for food are raised.

Regulatory agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration and other international and state agencies that oversee the safety of our foods, have clearly stated that these naturally occurring trace levels of minerals (such as lead) are safe to consume and do not pose a risk to human health.

The teas that Stash Tea produces are 100% safe to consume. We procure our teas and herbs from the highest quality sources around the world. Our suppliers must adhere to a strict Supplier Code of Conduct and sign our Supplier Agreement in order to achieve our "preferred vendor" status. If suppliers cannot supply critical and vital documentation that supports their practices and values, we do not do business with them.

As with many other leading tea companies, Stash Tea regularly tests our teas for lead and other compounds. The results of our on-going testing indicate that the amount of lead in dry tea leaves is nearly undetectable, and in a brewed cup of tea, recent testing showed 'no detectable presence' of lead, arsenic, cadmium or mercury.

We understand the desire to learn as much as possible about lead in consumable products. As we network with other leading tea companies and with our tea growers, we will continue to gather accurate and factual information to share with our customers.

How do you ensure the purity and quality of your teas?

Since 1972, we've been proud to offer our customers high-quality teas—that's our commitment and our mission. We adhere to several policies to ensure our tea is of the finest and purest quality.

First, we buy our teas directly from the world's premier tea gardens and only conduct business with reputable suppliers, most of whom we have worked with for years. We also require every vendor to sign a certificate of compliance based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.

We also set equally high standards for our herbal and spiced teas by purchasing herbs and spices whole from the world's best sources. We mill them right before blending for superior taste and flavor. They are also tested according to strict guidelines set by the American Spice Trade Association, the Food and Drug Administration, and our own stringent guidelines. The flavors and extracts used in our teas are always 100% natural.

In addition, our line of organic teas is certified organic by the USDA and Quality Assurance International (QAI). QAI is an internationally recognized professional organic certification service. Their program certifies that every step in the life of a food product is organic—from the land where the product is grown, to the growers' practices, to the post-harvest facilities and to the final processing and handling.

What is the shelf life of your teas?

Tea Bags 3 years
Loose Leaf Tea 2 years
Single Serve Cups 2 years
Iced Green Tea Powders 2 years
Honey Sticks 2 years
Seaweed 1 year
Matcha 1 year if kept refrigerated

 

Our loose leaf bags are made of Mylar, a material that is highly effective in keeping light out. To keep your tea as fresh as possible, all teas should be kept away from direct light; the best storage would be inside a closed cabinet.

    Browse Our Tea Selection

    Loose leaf teas | SHOP NOW

    Tea bags | SHOP NOW

     

    Recent Posts