Teavitation

Teavitation is a term used to describe cavitation-like phenomena observed in tea liquids during brewing. It refers to the formation and collapse of microbubbles in a tea infusion as a consequence of local pressure changes caused by pouring, stirring, or rapid heating. The expression is not yet standardized in the scientific literature, and teavitation is more commonly discussed in popular writings on tea physics.

During brewing, water contains dissolved air. When pressure locally falls, such as at a fast pour through a narrow spout, microbubbles nucleate. High temperatures further reduce gas solubility, promoting bubble formation. Surfactants from tea leaves and organic matter may stabilize bubbles, allowing transient cavitation-like structures. The collapse of bubbles near solids can generate microjets and shock waves, which can enhance mixing and release of volatile compounds, but can also cause localized heating and fragmentation of delicate particles.

Observed effects include surface foaming, visible bubbles in the infusion, and increased agitation of the liquid. These dynamics can influence the rate of extraction of aromatic compounds and the perception of freshness, and may affect the cloudiness or mouthfeel of some infusions. However, teavitation is not universally observed, and its practical significance remains uncertain.

Investigations rely on high-speed imaging, acoustic sensing, and controlled pouring experiments. Isolating teavitation from ordinary boiling turbulence is challenging, and the phenomenon is not a standard parameter in tea brewing research.

Practical implications are speculative. Adjusting pour rate, vessel geometry, and temperature may modestly influence bubble formation and aroma release, but the overall flavor outcome depends on many interacting factors.