1
|
Hassan HF, Tashani H, Ballouk F, Daou R, El Khoury A, Abiad MG, AlKhatib A, Hassan M, El Khatib S, Dimassi H. Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in Tea Sold in Lebanon: Effects of Type, Packaging, and Origin. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6556. [PMID: 37623142 PMCID: PMC10454378 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20166556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Tea is among the oldest and most-known beverages around the world, and it has many flavors and types. Tea can be easily contaminated in any of its production steps, especially with mycotoxins that are produced particularly in humid and warm environments. This study aims to examine the level of ochratoxin A (OTA) and total aflatoxin (AF) contamination in black and green tea sold in Lebanon, evaluate its safety compared to international standards, and assess the effect of different variables on the levels of OTA and AFs. For this, the Lebanese market was screened and all tea brands (n = 37; 24 black and 13 green) were collected twice. The Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay (ELISA) method was used to determine OTA and AFs in the samples. AFs and OTA were detected in 28 (75.7%) and 31 (88.6%) samples, respectively. The average of AFs in the positive (above detection limit: 1.75 μg/kg) samples was 2.66 ± 0.15 μg/kg, while the average of OTA in the positive (above detection limit: 1.6 μg/kg) samples was 3.74 ± 0.72 μg/kg. The mean AFs in black and green tea were 2.65 ± 0.55 and 2.54 ± 0.40 μg/kg, respectively, while for OTA, the mean levels were 3.67 ± 0.96 and 3.46 ± 1.09 μg/kg in black and green tea samples, respectively. Four brands (10.8%) contained total aflatoxin levels above the EU limit (4 μg/kg). As for OTA, all samples had OTA levels below the Chinese limit (5 μg/kg). No significant association (p > 0.05) was found between OTA and tea type, level of packaging, country of origin, country of packing, and country of distribution. However, AF contamination was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in unpacked tea, and in brands where the country of origin, packing, and distributor was in Asia. The results showed that the tea brands in Lebanon are relatively safe in terms of AFs and OTA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hussein F. Hassan
- Nutrition Program, Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon (M.H.)
| | - Hadeel Tashani
- Nutrition Program, Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon (M.H.)
| | - Farah Ballouk
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut P.O. Box 146404, Lebanon
| | - Rouaa Daou
- Centre d’Analyses et de Recherche, Unité de Recherche Technologies et Valorisation Agro-Alimentaire, Faculty of Sciences, Campus of Sciences and Technologies, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Mar Roukoz P.O. Box 17-5208, Lebanon
| | - André El Khoury
- Centre d’Analyses et de Recherche, Unité de Recherche Technologies et Valorisation Agro-Alimentaire, Faculty of Sciences, Campus of Sciences and Technologies, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Mar Roukoz P.O. Box 17-5208, Lebanon
| | - Mohamad G. Abiad
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, Lebanon
- Laboratories for the Environment, Agriculture, and Food (LEAF), Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Ali AlKhatib
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut P.O. Box 146404, Lebanon
| | - Mahdi Hassan
- Nutrition Program, Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut P.O. Box 13-5053, Lebanon (M.H.)
| | - Sami El Khatib
- Department of Food Sciences and Technology, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Bekaa P.O. Box 146404, Lebanon;
- Center for Applied Mathematics and Bioinformatics (CAMB), Gulf University for Science and Technology, P.O. Box 7207, Hawally 32093, Kuwait
| | - Hani Dimassi
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, Byblos P.O. Box 36, Lebanon
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mycotoxins Detection and Fungal Contamination in Black and Green Tea by HPLC-Based Method. J Toxicol 2020; 2020:2456210. [PMID: 32831831 PMCID: PMC7422483 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2456210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The fungal contamination and total aflatoxins (AF) and ochratoxin A (OTA) of tea samples were examined. A total of 60 tea samples were extracted and treated with immunoaffinity columns. The amount of AF and OTA were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence detector (FD). Tea samples were cultured and the fungi were identified. The results showed that 24 (40%) samples were contaminated with AFs and none of the tea samples were above the acceptable limit of AFs (≥10 μg/kg). All of the samples were contaminated with OTA where only 3 black tea samples (6.6%) and 1 green tea sample (6.7%) were detected to have more than the standard limits of toxin (10 μg·kg−1). The mean concentration of OTA in the black tea was higher than green tea. Aspergillus niger was the predominant fungi isolated from black and green tea samples. Considering the high contamination of mycotoxins in tea samples, regular monitoring in the tea process for improving quality is recommended.
Collapse
|
3
|
Alharbi WDM, Azmat A, Ahmed M. Comparative effect of coffee robusta and coffee arabica (Qahwa) on memory and attention. Metab Brain Dis 2018; 33:1203-1210. [PMID: 29654498 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-018-0230-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The comparative effects of coffee robusta and coffee arabica (Qahwa) on different attention and memory related assignments were measured in a double-blind study of 300 healthy young adult women who were randomly assigned to one of three different drinks: Group I (coffee robusta sachet dissolved in 100 ml of hot water): Group II (coffee arabica): and group III (100 ml water only). Cognitive function was assessed by standardized tests. Several monitoring cognitive tests and tasks were specifically chosen and performed to investigate the comparative effects of coffee robusta (CR) and coffee arabica (Qahwa; AC) on sleepiness (sleep and clear headed scale), attention (trail A & B, symbol digit, letter cancellation), general cognitive ability (stroop test) and memory (card test). Data was interpreted by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The present study revealed that coffee robusta has beneficial effects on attention, general cognitive ability and memory. Higher though non-significant cognitive scores were associated with coffee robusta consumption. Although, consumption of coffee arabica (Qahwa) has significant effects (P < 0.05) on sleepiness, attention, general cognitive ability and memory and it significantly improve reaction time and correct responses. Since different tasks were related to the sustained attention and working memory processes, results would suggest that coffee arabica (qahwa) could increase the memory and efficiency of the attentional system might be due to the presence of chlorogenic acids (CGA) which are found in less quantity in coffee robusta. However, more studies using larger samples and different tasks are necessary to better understand the effects of coffee robusta and arabica (Qahwa) on attention and memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Waheeb D M Alharbi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm-Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aisha Azmat
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm-Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Muhammad Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm-Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lou W, Sun S, Wu L, Sun K. Effects of climate change on the economic output of the Longjing-43 tea tree, 1972-2013. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2015; 59:593-603. [PMID: 25056127 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-014-0873-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Based on phenological and economic output models established and meteorological data from 1972 to 2013, changes in the phenology, frost risk, and economic output of the Longjing-43 tea tree in the Yuezhou Longjing tea production area of China were evaluated. As the local climate has changed, the beginning dates of tea bud and leaf plucking of this cultivar in all five counties studied has advanced significantly by -1.28 to -0.88 days/decade, with no significant change in the risk of frost. The main tea-producing stages in the tea production cycle include the plucking periods for superfine, grade 1, and grade 2 buds and leaves. Among the five bud and leaf grades, the economic output of the plucking periods for superfine and grade 1 decreased significantly, that for grade 2 showed no significant change, and those for grades 3 and 4 increased significantly. The economic output of large-area tea plantations employing an average of 45 workers per hectare and producing superfine to grade 2 buds and leaves were significantly reduced by 6,745-8,829 yuan/decade/ha, depending on the county. Those tea farmers who planted tea trees on their own small land holdings and produced superfine to grade 4 tea buds and leaves themselves experienced no significant decline in economic output.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Lou
- Xinchang Weather Bureau, Xinchang County, 312500, Zhejiang Province, China,
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|