Instant Tea | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Instant tea is a dehydrated, water-soluble powder or granule produced by brewing Camellia sinensis leaves and spray-drying or freeze-drying the resulting extract. It is used as a convenient beverage base and as a flavouring ingredient in food products such as premix drinks, confectionery, and baked goods.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Instant tea is broadly recognised as safe at normal dietary intake levels; its principal bioactive constituents are caffeine and polyphenolic catechins (notably EGCG), both of which are well-tolerated by healthy adults at typical consumption amounts. EFSA concluded that catechins from brewed and instant tea are generally safe, whereas supplemental catechin doses at or above 800 mg/day may raise liver-safety concerns. Because instant tea contains caffeine, sensitive populations including pregnant women, children, and individuals with cardiovascular conditions should moderate their intake.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	EFSA (2015) established that single doses of caffeine up to 200 mg do not raise safety concerns for the general healthy adult population. Instant tea is included in EFSA caffeine exposure surveys. No specific maximum level is set for instant tea itself; the 200 mg figure applies to caffeine as a constituent.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	FSSAI advisory (Dec 2025) reaffirms that the term 'Tea' (including Instant Tea) may only be applied to products exclusively derived from Camellia sinensis; products blended with non-Camellia sinensis ingredients must be labelled as proprietary foods or under the NSF & FI Regulations 2017.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Tea (including instant tea derived from Camellia sinensis) is considered a conventional food/ingredient with GRAS status by general recognition through long history of safe use. No specific CFR regulation or ADI exists for the whole-extract ingredient itself. Aspartame approved since 1974 specifically for use in dry bases for instant tea products under 21 CFR 172.804.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Instant tea contains caffeine; EFSA recommends pregnant women limit total caffeine intake to below 200 mg/day from all sources to avoid risk of foetal growth restriction.

Infants — Infants should not consume caffeinated beverages including instant tea due to immature caffeine metabolism and potential effects on the developing nervous system.

Children — EFSA identifies children as a sensitive group for caffeine exposure; instant tea contributes to caffeine intake and should be consumed only in age-appropriate amounts.

Lactation — Caffeine in instant tea passes into breast milk; nursing mothers are advised to moderate consumption to protect the infant from caffeine-related irritability and sleep disruption.

Heart Disease — Caffeine from instant tea can transiently elevate heart rate and blood pressure; individuals with cardiac arrhythmias or hypertension should consult a doctor regarding safe intake levels.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FSSAI. FSSAI Order dated 24 Dec 2025 – Clarification on Use of Term 'Tea' including Instant Tea, 2025. fssai.gov.in
2FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations – Chapter 2.10: Beverages (Other than Dairy and Fruits & Vegetables Based), Version 4, 2025. fssai.gov.in
3EFSA. Scientific opinion on the safety of green tea catechins, 2018. efsa.europa.eu
4EFSA. Risks for human health related to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey, tea, herbal infusions and food supplements, 2017. efsa.europa.eu
5EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the Safety of Caffeine, 2015. efsa.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations