"Seventeen years ago when I started in the food business, black tea in bags dominated the market.

Loose tea may also contain more antioxidants than tea in bags, because the leaves are less processed.

Although single-estate teas are available, almost all tea in bags and most loose tea sold in the West is blended.

And though O'Connor insists that tea sold in bags is usually old and weak, Blumberg says the tests he cites used teas in bags.

ONE of the challenges of restaurant dining is finding a cup of brewed and steeped tea, made with loose tea instead of with tea in bags.