FLUORIDE CONTENT OF IRANIAN BLACK TEA AND TEA LIQUOR

SUMMARY: The objectives of this study were to investigate the fluoride (F) content of various commercial brands of tea (Camellia sinensis L) marketed in Iran and to compare the release of F from them by infusion. The minimum and maximum F content was 35±6 mg/kg and 182±20 mg/kg in Sedaghat and Sharzad tea, respectively. The F content of tea liquor prepared by customary infusion from these teas ranged from 0.53±0.07 to 2.60 ± 0.18 mg/L. The percentage of total F released into the tea liquor by infusion from the dried tea ranged from 67.7±8 % for Golestan tea to 91.0±4 % for Ahamad tea