TY - JOUR
T1 - Health Risk Assessment of Exposure to Trace Elements from Drinking Black and Green Tea Marketed in Three Countries
AU - Na Nagara, Viravid
AU - Sarkar, Dibyendu
AU - Luo, Qingzi
AU - Biswas, Jayanta Kumar
AU - Datta, Rupali
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2022/6
Y1 - 2022/6
N2 - Although tea can be beneficial for our health, consuming excess trace elements in tea can be harmful. In this study, the carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health risk for trace elements in tea influenced by the country of origin, tea type, and infusion process was assessed. Tea (Camellia sinensis) purchased from China, India, and the USA, including black and green tea, were analyzed for essential micronutrients (Cu, Se, and Zn) and nonessential trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, and Pb) in leaves and three types of infusions. The results showed that country of origin, tea type, and infusion process had a significant influence on the trace element contents in tea leaves and infusions, also on health risk. Country of origin had a significant influence on Ba, Cr, Pb, and Zn contents in tea leaves and on As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn contents in tea infusions. Black tea had significantly higher (p < 0.05) Cr and Cu content in tea leaves than green tea, but only Cr content was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of green tea in tea infusion. The trace element contents were the highest in the first infusion and decreased as the number of infusion steps increased. The results showed that the consumption of tea infusion was not likely to cause noncarcinogenic risk. However, the carcinogenic risk for As was of concern. Our results indicate that avoiding drinking the first infusion can help to reduce both carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health risks for trace elements.
AB - Although tea can be beneficial for our health, consuming excess trace elements in tea can be harmful. In this study, the carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health risk for trace elements in tea influenced by the country of origin, tea type, and infusion process was assessed. Tea (Camellia sinensis) purchased from China, India, and the USA, including black and green tea, were analyzed for essential micronutrients (Cu, Se, and Zn) and nonessential trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, and Pb) in leaves and three types of infusions. The results showed that country of origin, tea type, and infusion process had a significant influence on the trace element contents in tea leaves and infusions, also on health risk. Country of origin had a significant influence on Ba, Cr, Pb, and Zn contents in tea leaves and on As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn contents in tea infusions. Black tea had significantly higher (p < 0.05) Cr and Cu content in tea leaves than green tea, but only Cr content was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of green tea in tea infusion. The trace element contents were the highest in the first infusion and decreased as the number of infusion steps increased. The results showed that the consumption of tea infusion was not likely to cause noncarcinogenic risk. However, the carcinogenic risk for As was of concern. Our results indicate that avoiding drinking the first infusion can help to reduce both carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health risks for trace elements.
KW - Carcinogen
KW - Country of origin
KW - Drinking habits
KW - Health risk assessment
KW - Tea
KW - Tea type
KW - Trace elements
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U2 - 10.1007/s12011-021-02863-3
DO - 10.1007/s12011-021-02863-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 34378169
AN - SCOPUS:85112192307
SN - 0163-4984
VL - 200
SP - 2970
EP - 2982
JO - Biological Trace Element Research
JF - Biological Trace Element Research
IS - 6
ER -