Pesticides and other contaminants in tea. Critical values on Lipton, Twinings and Auchan
Pesticides and other contaminants have been detected with wide profusion in teas of various brands, including unfortunately some organic products. This is the finding of analyses conducted by 60 millions de consommateurs French consumer association, on 16 black teas and 10 green teas also with mint.
Popular, emblazoned and organic teas
Among the teas analyzed appear global brands such as Lipton and Twinings, emblazoned references and private labels, i.e., products under large-scale retail (GDO) brands. French supermarket chains (Auchan, Leclerc, Carrefour, U), and the German Lidl group.
Completing the selection are 9 organic teas, which have sometimes disappointed in surprise chemical residues.
Pesticides above legal limits
Analysis of more than 500 types of pesticides found more or less consistent traces of chemical residues in all samples.
In three cases, residues exceeded legal limits.
– Dammann Frères, black tea. The renowned transalpine brand, which also features in Illy’s online shop, is distinguished by excess residues of as many as 17 different pesticides.
– Leclerc, Bio Village line, ‘organic’ black tea. The French retail giant boasts 365 products in its organic line. That nevertheless derails on black tea, with the residue of a bird repellent at 4 times the legal limits.
– Kusmi, tea. Pesticide residues exceed legal thresholds. And it is the second incident in a year for Kusmi, which in January 2017 pulled a batch of chamomile tea from the market after a report by German consumer association Stiftung Warentest. In that case by excess PA (pyrrolizidine alkaloids), the toxins naturally produced by some plants.
PA, Dangerous Alkaloids
The dangerousness of PAs is well known. Some of these toxins are recognized as carcinogens, but the European Commission has yet to set legal limits that can be tolerated in food.
In June 2017, the Working Group on Food Contaminants (CONTAM) of the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) published a document in which it identifies 17 health-threatening alkaloids and assesses the level of exposure of the European population, pointing out the presence of health risks in heavy consumers of tea and herbal teas, honey and dietary supplements.
In particular, a concern was expressed for frequent and high consumers of teas or herbal infusions.
The CONTAM Panel also assessed the acute/short-term risks, considering the dietary acute exposure levels estimated in the 2016 EFSA report and the lowest known dose range of 1-3 mg PA/kg bw per day, at which acute/short-term adverse effects have been reported in humans. (EFSA, 21.6.17)
The Lipton, Twinings and Auchan cases
In analyses conducted by 60 millions de consommateurs, PAs were detected in a very high concentration-1,600 micrograms/kg-in Lipton black tea (Unilever). And to a significant extent in two other black teas, Earl Grey from Twinings and Auchan (up to 190 micrograms/kg).
Organic teas, conversely, were found to be immune to PAs.
Full details of the tea analyses conducted by 60 million consommateurs-which also reveal polyphenol and heavy metal contents-are available on the journal’s website.
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
