During the first months, the observed decrease was fairly mild; a significant decrease (P < 0.05) was not observed until the 5th month of storage for samples stored in metal packaging (a decline to 0.8 mg per 1 g of tea) and until the 6th month for samples stored in original packaging (with chlorophyll contents of 0.8 mg per 1 g of tea). By the 12th month chlorophyll contents had dropped by 90% in samples stored in metal packaging (the resulting amount being 0.1 mg per 1 g of tea) and by 70% in samples stored in original packaging (the resulting amount being 0.3 mg per 1 g of tea).