Dioxin Concentrations in Commercial Health Tea Materials in Japan

• Published in: Journal of Health Science Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 290 - 293
• Main Authors: Amakura, Yoshiaki, Tsutsumi, Tomoaki, Tanno, Kenji, Nomura, Koichi, Yanagi, Toshihiko, Kono, Yoichi, Yoshimura, Morio, Maitani, Tamio, Matsuda, Rieko, Yoshida, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Tokyo The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 01.01.2009; Pharmaceutical Society of Japan; Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, Nihon Yakugakkai
• Subjects: Cassia; dioxin; dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl; food; health tea; polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin; polychlorinated dibenzofuran; Rosa; Japan
• ISSN: 1344-9702; 1347-5207
• DOI: 10.1248/jhs.55.290

This study determined the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dioxin-like PCBs) in five selected plant materials [dokudami (from houttuynia herb), rose hip (from rosa fruit), ebisugusa (from cassia seed), rooibos, and tochu (from eucommia leaf)] used as health teas in Japan. The toxic equivalent (TEQ) levels for dioxins in the samples ranged from <0.001 to 0.27 pg-TEQ/g weight, when undetectable and trace amounts were taken as zero. The mean of total TEQ level in commercial tea materials was estimated as 0.08 pg-TEQ/g (n=5). The total TEQ in these samples was mainly dominated by the levels of PCDD/Fs (representing ca. 80% of the total TEQ).