Sun exposure is a crucial step in the production process of oolong tea. The heat from the sun causes significant evaporation of moisture from the tea leaves, promoting the fermentation (oxidation) process. The sunlight also damages the organelles within the tea leaves, disrupting the osmotic pressure of the cell membrane, leading to the release of catechins from the vacuoles. When catechins are released from the vacuoles and come into contact with polyphenol oxidase in the cytoplasm, oxidation occurs, initiating the fermentation process.
Oolong tea owes much of its aroma to the sun. It exudes a therapeutic fragrance akin to the scent of freshly washed cotton sheets left to bask in the sunlight, which one might encounter before bedtime.
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