white froth on tea

SmoothPebble | 12:02 Tue 16th Sep 2003 | Food & Drink

6 Answers

Sometimes the tea I make develops a strange fine white froth on top - any explanations?

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fat people

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louisecheese

That usually happens with me if the im inpatient and dont let the kettle complete it's boil. But, my mum says it's dust from the teabags? I dunno.

SmoothPebble

Question Author

I thought it was to do with the kettle boiling as well, but I've let it boil long and hard and still the same - weird! I don't think it's anything to do with dust in teabags - maybe an old mum's tale?!! Thanks for the answer though...

5029

Do you have hard water? Quite often this is the cause of frothy tea

SmoothPebble

Question Author

Yes I do! So hard it breaks bits on my boiler at regular intervals. So do you know the science behind this? And why it sometimes does this, and sometimes doesn't?

5029

sorry i don't - something to do with the minerals in the water maybe?

anthomson

Not sure here but I think the froth might be caused by soluble calcium ions reacting with sodium stearate (soap)from your fairy liquid. This will give an insouble percipitate of calcium stearate better known as s c u m ( sorry about the spaces AB thought this was a profanity LOL )

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