Overview
This study measured Pb, Cd, total As, total Hg, and Cr in commercial herbal tea samples purchased in Poland. It is routeable for dried herbal-tea material and herbal-infusion product context because it reports metal ranges, exceedance counts, and health-risk indices.
Key numbers
- The study analyzed 48 commercial herbal tea samples including chamomile, peppermint, hibiscus, rooibos, green tea, and ginger.
- Pb was detected in all 48 samples, ranging from 0.08 to 3.41 mg/kg.
- Cd was detected in 43 samples, ranging from 0.01 to 0.87 mg/kg.
- Total As was detected in 38 samples, ranging from 0.01 to 0.42 mg/kg.
- Hg and Cr were below quantification limits in most samples.
- Nine of 48 samples (18.8%) exceeded the EU lead maximum level of 2.0 mg/kg for dried herbs cited by the authors.
- Six of 48 samples (12.5%) exceeded the cadmium limit of 0.3 mg/kg cited by the authors.
- Health risk indices calculated by the authors for an adult drinking two cups daily were below 1.0 for individual metals.
Methods
Samples were analyzed by ICP-MS. The paper reports detection limits between 0.002 and 0.01 mg/kg and presents concentrations in mg/kg.
Implications
The source supports occurrence evidence for herbal-botanical tea materials in the Polish retail market. It also provides regulatory exceedance context for Pb and Cd in dried herbs.
Related evidence
- Herbal botanicals
- Tea
- Herbal/Botanical Infusions
- Tea Infusions
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Arsenic, Total
- Mercury, Total
- Chromium
Update history
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