Browning of tea infusion is an obstructive factor influencing shelf life of ready-to-drink green tea. Effects of temperature and illumination on the browning of green tea infusion were investigated. It was shown that both elevated temperature and illumination led to the browning of green tea infusion, but temperature had greater effect on infusion color and level of catechins than illumination. The levels of unoxidized catechins such as (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECg), (-)-epicatechin (EC), and total catechins remaining in the tea infusion were significantly correlated to color parameters of the tea infusion. Sodium ascorbate inhibited the infusion browning by suppressing the oxidation of tea catechins and it is considered to be a more suitable preservative for prolonging shelf life of ready-to-drink green tea than ascorbic acid because it has less effect on tea taste. The effects of temperature and illumination on the epimerization of catechins were also discussed.