From a wide range, dTest shined on herbal blends that are commonly available in Czech stores. dTest purchased 11 kinds of herbal teas, one loose tea, and tested the content of selected undesirable substances in the laboratory. It investigated the occurrence of pyrrolizidine and tropane alkaloids, fungi, mycotoxins, pesticides and other contaminants such as nicotine, anthraquinone and nitrates.
The name pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) hides chemical compounds that prevent plants from being predominantly herbivores. High doses of these alkaloids can lead to acute liver failure, yet there is no legal limit for pyrrolizidine alkaloids. "In our test, the amount of PA has reached the value agreed between the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the German Federal Evaluation Office. German food control authorities are withdrawing from the tea market, from which the adult could actually receive 6 μg of PA per day, " explains Hana Hoffmann, Editor-in-Chief of the dTest magazine, adding: " In our test, this product exceeded this limit, namely Grandmother Růženka Sedmero herbs, in which we found 13.4 μg of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in one infusion bag. "
Another type of poison dTest focused on tropane alkaloids (TA), namely atropine and scopolamine. Due to these substances, the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) has withdrawn from the market roughly a year ago two products - Loyd Herbal Tea Mint with Cranberry and Grandmother Růženka Sedmero herbs with Echinacea. "We have also checked the teas of the same brands. Mokate has obviously learned from past mistakes because of its tropical alkaloids, its teas were good in our tests, " says Hana Hoffmann, adding: " We recommend that consumers avoid the Tesco Mix of Herbs tea in which the laboratory has detected an atropine level of 190 μg / kg and scopolamine of 98 μg / kg. Because of this misdemeanor we have filed a complaint with the State Agricultural and Food Inspection. "
In the cultivation of herbs, farmers use pesticide-containing chemicals to fight pests. These can get to the final product and act toxic to the development of the nervous system. The laboratory revealed that the two limits of pesticide exceeded the legislative limits. They were Tesco Mix of Herbs (maximum value for herbicide linuron) and Dr. Popov Zdravínek for children (exceeding the maximum value for tetraconazole fungicide). "We have left off how many residual pesticides contain teas for children . We have evaluated the Oxalis product for the worse Our herbs Children's tea, in which the laboratory found the remains of 12 different pesticides. In two other teas for children - Apotheke Children's Herbal Tea for Drinking and Drinking Popov Zdravínek for children - we have discovered five or seven pesticide residues, " comments Hana Hoffmann.
The agrochemical cocktail also contained adult teas; tea Valdemar Grešík Sedmikvítek contained eight pesticides, Grandmother Růženka Sedmero herbs five pesticides. A total of three products (Loyd, Jančův čaj and Valdemar Grešík) contained the DDT pesticide, which persists in the environment even before the year 1974, when it was banned. The findings of the first two men were below the statutory limit, Valdemar Grešík's tea was at its half.
It should be remembered that dTest's assessment is based on the precautionary principle, according to which accumulated chemicals may cause unpredictable cocktail effects.
Very well or well, only four teas ( Lipton Herbal Infusion Alps Breeze, Teekanne Mountain Herbs, Sonnentor Thanks Herb Tea and Janc's Herbal Mix ) were all well in the view of the undesirable substances found.
For a list of tested herbal teas, visit www.dtest.com. Full test results came from the February issue of the dTest magazine. Here you will find out where the lab has discovered anthraquinone, nicotine and nitrate at unproblematic concentrations.
Source: tz dTest.cz
