Tag: Tea aroma

According to the National Institutes of Health, caffeine is a colorless, odorless alkaloid that requires temperatures far exceeding water's boiling point to vaporize. This fact is key to understanding the science behind the question: does tea steam have caffeine? The answer, surprisingly, is no, and the reasons lie in fundamental chemical properties that differentiate the bitter compounds in your cup from the pleasant aroma that rises from it.

According to scientific studies, linalool is a major volatile component abundant in tea leaves and significantly influences tea aroma. This terpene alcohol is naturally present in all teas derived from the *Camellia sinensis* plant, though its specific concentration and chiral form vary widely depending on factors like cultivar, processing, and growing conditions.