Monitoring of pesticide residues in South Indian tea

Tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world. Tea infusion is prepared by pouring boiling hot water over cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Such a beverage should be free from toxic chemicals. Studies on the monitoring of pesticide residues in tea of South India had been carried. Tea samples collected from different districts of South India were analysed for the residues of certain pesticide such as dicofol, ethion, quinalphos, hexaconazole, fenpropathrin, fenvalerate and propargite. These pesticides are commonly used for the control of pests and diseases in tea. The results of study indicated that among 468 samples examined, only one sample contained hexaconazole residue that exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRL). Though the residues of ethion, quinalphos, hexaconazole, dicofol, propargite and fenpropathrin were most commonly found, only one sample exceeded the MRL.