Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and copper levels in Chinese Yunnan Pu'er tea. 2011

Pengbo Ning, and Chunmei Gong, and Yanming Zhang, and Kangkang Guo, and Juan Bai
a College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University , Yangling , Shaanxi 712100 , China.

The Yunnan region of China produces a distinctive variety of Pu'er tea, which is consequently labeled as a Chinese geographic indication product. In this study, the safety of Chinese Yunnan Pu'er tea with regard to heavy metal content was evaluated in 30 different brands of Pu'er tea, including 150 commercial samples. Metal levels in the Pu'er tea samples followed the order: copper (12-22 µg/g) > lead (0.26-3.2 µg/g) > arsenic (0.035-0.24 µg/g) > cadmium (0.0059-0.085 µg/g) > mercury (<0.010 µg/g). Mercury was not detected in 17 of the brands of Pu'er tea. Metal-to-metal correlation studies showed that there were no significant correlation between metal pairs. Based on current safety standards, the low levels of metals detected in these Pu'er tea samples mean they are safe for human consumption.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007854 Lead A soft, grayish metal with poisonous salts; atomic number 82, atomic weight 207.2, symbol Pb.
D008628 Mercury A silver metallic element that exists as a liquid at room temperature. It has the atomic symbol Hg (from hydrargyrum, liquid silver), atomic number 80, and atomic weight 200.59. Mercury is used in many industrial applications and its salts have been employed therapeutically as purgatives, antisyphilitics, disinfectants, and astringents. It can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes which leads to MERCURY POISONING. Because of its toxicity, the clinical use of mercury and mercurials is diminishing.
D011042 Poisons Substances which, when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed, or when applied to, injected into, or developed within the body in relatively small amounts may, by their chemical action, cause damage to structure or disturbance of function. (From Dorland, 27th ed) Poison
D002104 Cadmium An element with atomic symbol Cd, atomic number 48, and atomic weight 112.41. It is a metal and ingestion will lead to CADMIUM POISONING.
D002681 China A country spanning from central Asia to the Pacific Ocean. Inner Mongolia,Manchuria,People's Republic of China,Sinkiang,Mainland China
D003300 Copper A heavy metal trace element with the atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.55. Copper-63,Copper 63
D004032 Diet Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal. Diets
D005506 Food Contamination The presence in food of harmful, unpalatable, or otherwise objectionable foreign substances, e.g. chemicals, microorganisms or diluents, before, during, or after processing or storage. Food Adulteration,Adulteration, Food,Adulterations, Food,Contamination, Food,Contaminations, Food,Food Adulterations,Food Contaminations
D005511 Food Handling Any aspect of the operations in the preparation, processing, transport, storage, packaging, wrapping, exposure for sale, service, or delivery of food. Food Processing,Handling, Food,Processing, Food
D005513 Food Inspection Examination of foods to assure wholesome and clean products free from unsafe microbes or chemical contamination, natural or added deleterious substances, and decomposition during production, processing, packaging, etc. Food Inspections,Inspection, Food,Inspections, Food

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