Can bacteria grow in tea?
A recent study showed that pathogenic bacteria can grow on dried tea leaves. However, we can eliminate the risk of getting sick by brewing tea leaves in boiling or hot water (>80 °C or >176 °F) instead of in iced water or cool water (<55 °C or 131 °F). Brewing tea in hot water can successfully inactivate pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella. (*)