Pollution, source and risk assessment of PAHs in Chinese tea

Evaluation of 9,10-anthraquinone contamination in tea products from Indonesian manufacturers and its carcinogenic risk to consumer health

This study aimed to determine 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) levels in Indonesian tea products from different manufacturers and assess the AQ's associated health risks. AQ levels increased significantly during withering and drying stages, using pinewood as a heat source. Generally, black tea was highly contaminated by AQ followed by green tea, oolong tea, and white tea. Out of a total of 116 samples from manufacturers using wood pellets as a heat source, 13% (15/116) of samples were contaminated with AQ exceeding the EU maximum residue level (MRL), and after accounting for measurement uncertainty, this value decreased to only 2% (2/116) that were deemed non-compliant. In contrast, 88% (57/65) and 50% (7/14) of tea samples were contaminated with AQ exceeding the EU MRL when manufacturers used pinewood and palm kernel shells as heat sources, respectively. However, based on our estimation, the risk level due to AQ exposure from Indonesian tea is still manageable, as indicated by calculating incremental lifetime cancer risk, <10⁻⁶ across all conditions studied (age group, type of tea, and heat source).

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons' Impact on Crops and Occurrence, Sources, and Detection Methods in Food: A Review

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent a category of persistent organic pollutants that pose a global concern in the realm of food safety due to their recognized carcinogenic properties in humans. Food can be contaminated with PAHs that are present in water, air, or soil, or during food processing and cooking. The wide and varied sources of PAHs contribute to their persistent contamination of food, leading to their accumulation within these products. As a result, monitoring of the levels of PAHs in food is necessary to guarantee the safety of food products as well as the public health. This review paper attempts to give its readers an overview of the impact of PAHs on crops, their occurrence and sources, and the methodologies employed for the sample preparation and detection of PAHs in food. In addition, possible directions for future research are proposed. The objective is to provide references for the monitoring, prevention, and in-depth exploration of PAHs in food.

Uptake and translocation of organic pollutants in Camellia sinensis (L.): a review

Camellia sinensis (L.) is a perennial evergreen woody plant with the potential for environmental pollution due to its unique growth environment and extended growth cycle. Pollution sources and pathways for tea plants encompass various factors, including atmospheric deposition, agricultural inputs of chemical fertilizers and pesticide, uptake from soil, and sewage irrigation. During the cultivation phase, Camellia sinensis (L.) can absorb organic pollutants through its roots and leaves. This review provides an overview of the uptake and translocation mechanisms involving the absorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, anthraquinone (AQ), perchlorate, and other organic pollutants by tea plant roots. Additionally, we summarize how fresh tea leaves can be impacted by spraying pesticide and atmospheric sedimentation. In conclusion, this review highlights current research progress in understanding the pollution risks associated with Camellia sinensis (L.) and its products, emphasizing the need for further investigation and providing insights into potential future directions for research in this field.

The Application of Cold-Induced Liquid-Liquid Extraction for the Determination of 4-Methylimidazole in Tea and Associated Risk Assessment for Chinese Tea Consumers

4-Methylimidazole (4-MEI), as a Maillard reaction product, often occurs in heat-processed food. Due to its widespread occurrence and strong carcinogenicity in food and beverages, 4-MEI has received attention from regulatory organizations and consumers. Some studies have reported the occurrence and exposure of 4-MEI in food, but few studies have involved traditional tea beverages, which is related to the limited analytical methods currently being influenced by complex tea matrices. For this issue, this study presents a simple, reliable, and highly sensitive analytical method for the determination of 4-MEI in tea using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. By means of this method, a total of 570 tea samples from typical tea-producing regions in China were monitored for contamination of 4-MEI. The results showed that the average 4-MEI level (136 μg/kg) in oolong tea was significantly higher than that in other types of tea samples. Based on contamination levels and tea consumption data in China, the daily intake doses (0.04-1.16 μg/day) of 4-MEI among tea consumers were obtained. As a result, the health risk of Chinese tea consumers consuming 4-MEI alone through tea consumption is relatively low, but the overall intake level of 4-MEI in other foods cannot be ignored.