A study on heavy metal content in black tea available in domestic market in India

Abstract

Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Thus, the chemical components in tea have received great interest because they are related to health. Tea is used in folk medicine for headache, digestion, diuresis, enhancement of  immune  defense,  as  an  energizer  and  to  prolong  life.  The  intake  of  food  and  beverages contaminated by heavy metals is harmful to human health and several countries h ave imposed laws to restrict the presence of heavy metals concentration in food and beverages. In this study, the concentration of two heavy metals including Lead (Pb) and Copper (Cu) were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry on samples collected from different parts of India. The results showed that the only 12 samples out of 82 samples analysed were found to contain Lead in very low level ranges from Not detected to 0.144 ppm. The permissible level for Lead (Pb) as per FSSAI in tea is 10 ppm (max) . Cu content was present in 19 samples out of 82 samples analysed with value range from not detected to 0.114 ppm. The permissible level of Copper (Cu) in tea as per FSSAI is 150 ppm (max).    All the samples were within the permissible limits. Therefore, i t may not produce any health risk for human consumption, if other sources of toxic metals contaminated food are not taken.