Study Results
A recent scientific study showed that plastic tea bags may release micro-plastic particles and chemicals into the beverage when steeped in hot water, while loose tea leaves recorded lower amounts of plastic particles, according to analyses conducted by researchers to compare different types of tea.
The scientific website "Medical Xpress" reported on Wednesday that the study, published in the journal "npj Science of Food" specializing in food sciences, was conducted by researchers from RTEU University in Turkey. It included four brands of plastic tea bags and 14 brands of loose tea, with the aim of measuring plastic particles and some chemicals associated with plastic.
Discovered Materials
The results showed that plastic tea bags released hundreds to thousands of micro-plastic particles when steeped in hot water, while loose tea leaves recorded lower amounts, indicating that packaging materials may be an additional source of these particles in beverages.
Analyses also revealed the presence of "bisphenol A" (BPA), which is used in the manufacture of some plastic products, and phthalate compounds, used in the production of certain types of plastic to improve their flexibility, in tea samples prepared using plastic bags, with varying quantities of the detected substances among the brands included in the study.
Study Limitations
The researchers clarified that the comparison between loose tea and tea prepared in bags was not conducted under identical conditions, as loose tea leaves were analyzed without being prepared with water. Furthermore, the monitoring of particles was limited to sizes larger than 100 micrometers, meaning that smaller particles were not included in the recorded results.
The study highlights the importance of examining the materials used in packaging food and beverages and determining the extent to which their components transfer to consumer products. Researchers emphasized the need for further studies to accurately estimate exposure levels to these pollutants and understand their potential health effects, as current results alone are insufficient to determine the health risks resulting from consuming tea prepared in plastic bags.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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