Drying　is　an　essential　pre-treatment　prior　to　extraction　of　tea　polyphenols　from　tea　leaves,　which　is　a　time　and　energy-intensive　process.　In　this　study,　pulsed　electric　field　(PEF)　was　utilized　to　replace　the　conventional　thermal　dehydration　procedure　before　the　phenolic　extraction.　The　influence　of　different　PEF　conditions　on　total　polyphenol　yield　from　fresh　tea　leaves　combined　with　a　solid-liquid　extraction　were　compared.　PEF　treatment　at　1.00kV/cm　electric　field　strength,　100　pulses　of　100s　pulse　duration,　and　5s　pulse　repetition,　which　delivered　22kJ/kg　and　induced　1.5　degrees　C　of　temperature　increase,　was　used　for　further　study　on　the　extraction　kinetics　of　green　tea　catechins.　The　results　indicated　that　compared　to　oven　drying,　PEF　pre-treatment　increased　the　extraction　rate　by　approximately　two　times,　without　significantly　altering　the　phenolic　profiles,　as　revealed　by　using　liquid　chromatography　combined　with　mass　spectrometry.　Scanning　electron　microscopy　imaging　revealed　that　PEF　pre-treatment　induced　the　formation　of　inhomogeneously　distributed　pores　and　protuberances　on　the　surface　of　leaf　tissues,　which　might　facilitate　the　penetration　of　extraction　solvent　and　the　migration　of　phenolics.　This　study　demonstrates　that　PEF　as　a　time　and　energy　efficient　processing　method　is　a　promising　alternative　for　the　conventional　drying　process　before　further　tea　polyphenol　extraction.