A storage canister can slow oxidation and allow tea bags a longer shelf life. To keep moisture, oxygen and rival smells away from your tea bags, place them in an airtight, preferably metal, container and away from sunlight, heat and high humidity. This may keep the tea fresh for up to two years. An exception to this guideline pertains to the aged Keemun and Pu-erh teas, which like wine require oxygen — but not heat and moisture — to continue to mature. A fermented tea made from a leaf grown in Yunnan in China, pur-erh tea can stay fresh for up to 50 years. Tea purveyors came up with the six-month guideline for best results, but if you aren’t picky and don’t want to waste tea bags, you may be able to store them for up to two years.
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-long-do-tea-bags-stay-fresh/
I see above that it is recommended to keep iced tea no longer than 8 hours, but it does not say the word “refigerated,” so I assume that probably means just sitting out in an urn, like they often do at restaurants.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/06/did-you-know-iced-tea-safety/
First of all, you'll need to store the tea bag in a moist medium. Once they get dried out, they become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. So your best bet is to store them in a small shot glass filled with water. That will keep them seeping while they are being stored. While you can leave them out in your kitchen, I usually put them in the fridge so that there is less chance of bacteria growth. If you think you've got bacteria or mold in your tea bag, the best indicator is smell. If it smells funky, trash it. A tea bag can be reused one or two times. After that, it's spent. Reusing green or white tea works better than darker blends. I usually reuse Orange Pekoe tea bags because I use two bags in one cup: I like strong milk tea in the mornings, with milk, no sugar.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/reusing-tea-bags-the-good-the-128466
In fact, if you search the phrase “sun tea” on their site, there are no pages. I suspect that someone identified the max temp that sun tea achieves, and identified some kind of bacteria that could feasibly survive in water that long.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/06/did-you-know-iced-tea-safety/
If you don’t notice a difference in flavor when you keep tea in the fridge for longer, then by all means keep it for as long as it tastes good to you. With one caveat: it’s probably only safe to keep it for a week at the most. I’m not an expert on bacteria growth in tea, but a week is generally how long most prepared foods can be kept in the fridge before discarding them. When you keep tea in the fridge, make sure you keep it in a tightly sealed container so that it doesn’t absorb flavors from others food in the fridge. As for me, I rarely keep tea in the fridge. I usually drink my tea hot and brew it fresh each time. I will make cold-brewed tea in the summer.
http://www.teaanswers.com/how-long-keep-tea-fridge/
Yes they can go stale, depends on the typ of tea bags and how you store them, in air tight containers and the amount of heat in your home. You can tell by the smell or the taste of the tea. tea bag's don't go ba,only used up. And you should only use them 3 time's at maximum, after that they don't even smell nice.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060919113500AAQnDwu
These smaller pieces are more prone to oxidation and turning stale. Your best bet is to buy tea bags in quantities that you think you can use up within six months, so that the flavor and aroma remain strong, and before it becomes a bit more stale after one year. Add a note to the container holding the stored teabags when you bring them home, so you know how long to keep them.
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-long-do-tea-bags-stay-fresh/
Tea leaves may be contaminated with coliform bacteria. If iced tea is brewed at inadequate temperatures or in an improperly cleaned urn, or if it is stored for too long, it may grow coliform bacteria, most frequently Klebsiella and Enterobacter, and less commonly E. coli.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/06/did-you-know-iced-tea-safety/
Best Answer: Tea bags don't go 'bad' in the way that fresh foods can get bacteria and actually make you sick when they go bad. Tea bags just lose their freshness and quality with time and exposure to light. Generally tea in bags will be at their best within 6 months after you purchased them. To keep them as fresh for as long as possible, keep them in an airtight container out of direct light. I highly recommend that if you really love tea that you try loose leaf tea - the flavour and quality is so much better. Enjoy!
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060919113500AAQnDwu
Recommendations for Iced Tea Safety. * Iced tea sould be brewed at 195 F for 3-5 minutes. * Iced tea should be stored for no longer than 8 hours. * The tea brewer, storage dispenser, and faucet should be cleaned daily. The CDC stated that redesigning tea dispensers to be more easily dismantled and cleaned could further reduce the theoretical risk of bacterial contamination of iced tea.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/06/did-you-know-iced-tea-safety/
how long can you keep tea
Tea in bags will be at their best within 6 months after you purchased them.