title: Comparative Assessment of Copper, Iron, and Zinc Contents in Selected Indian (Assam) and South African (Thohoyandou) Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Samples and Their Infusion: A Quest for Health Risks to Consumer.
abstract: The current study aims to assess the infusion pattern of three important micronutrients namely copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) contents from black tea samples produced in Assam (India) and Thohoyandou (South Africa). Average daily intakes and hazardous quotient were reported for these micronutrients. Total content for Cu, Fe, and Zn varied from 2.25 to 48.82 mg kg-1, 14.75 to 148.18 mg kg-1, and 28.48 to 106.68 mg kg-1, respectively. The average contents of each of the three micronutrients were higher in tea leaves samples collected from South Africa than those from India while the contents in tea infusions in Indian samples were higher than in South African tea samples. Results of this study revealed that the consumption of 600 mL tea infusion produced from 24 g of made tea per day may be beneficial to human in terms of these micronutrients content. Application of nonparametric tests revealed that most of the data sets do not satisfy the normality assumptions. Hence, the use of both parametric and nonparametric statistical analysis that subsequently revealed significant differences in elemental contents among Indian and South African tea.
authors.affiliation: Upper Assam Advisory Centre, Tea Research Association, Dikom, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786101, India. tanmay.karak@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tanmoy
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4179-2529
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karak
authors.affiliation: Division of Statistical Genetics, Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India.
authors.forename: Ranjit Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, North West University, Mafikeng Campus, Mmabatho, 2735, South Africa.
authors.forename: Funso Raphael
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Kutu
authors.affiliation: Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby, DE221GB, Derby, UK.
authors.forename: Aradhana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehra
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Near Kukrail Picnic Spot, Lucknow, 226015, India.
authors.forename: Puja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khare
authors.affiliation: Upper Assam Advisory Centre, Tea Research Association, Dikom, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786101, India.
authors.forename: Amrit Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.affiliation: Upper Assam Advisory Centre, Tea Research Association, Dikom, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786101, India.
authors.forename: Krishnamoni
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bora
authors.affiliation: Upper Assam Advisory Centre, Tea Research Association, Dikom, Dibrugarh, Assam, 786101, India.
authors.forename: Romesh Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Boruah
mesh_terms: D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis*; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000032:analysis; D013019:South Africa; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D013662:Tea; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Black tea; Health risk assessment; Meta-analysis; Micronutrients; Repeated infusions