Lemon Juice and Ascorbic Acid Effect on the Metals Extraction from Chamomile, Human Risk Assessment

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Chamomile is a popular herbal tea consumed worldwide.
• Understanding the extraction of compounds, including potential contaminants like heavy metals, is crucial for consumer safety.
• Factors such as temperature, steeping time, and additives can influence extraction yields.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the total content of nine heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) in chamomile samples.
• To quantify the extraction of these heavy metals into water infusions under various conditions (temperature, steeping time) and with additives (ascorbic acid, lemon juice).
• To assess the non-carcinogenic health risk associated with heavy metal exposure from chamomile infusions.

Main Methods:

• Heavy metal content in chamomile and its infusions was analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS).
• Infusions were prepared using different temperatures (70, 80, 100 °C) and steeping times (3, 5, 7 min).
• The impact of adding ascorbic acid and lemon juice on metal extraction was investigated.

Main Results:

• Mean total concentrations of analyzed heavy metals in chamomile were determined (e.g., Mn: 113.5 μg/g, Fe: 32.17 μg/g, Zn: 30.34 μg/g).
• Manganese, Nickel, and Zinc were predominantly extracted in pure water (up to 100%).
• Lemon juice significantly increased the extraction of Cadmium, Iron, and Lead, with the highest Fe extraction (4.07-25.7%) observed with lemon juice across all temperatures. Ascorbic acid generally resulted in the lowest metal extraction percentages.
• The non-carcinogenic hazard quotient (HQ) for all analyzed metals in all infusion types was below 1 for both adults and children, indicating no significant health risk.

Conclusions:

• The choice of additives and brewing conditions significantly affects heavy metal extraction from chamomile.
• Lemon juice is effective in extracting certain heavy metals like Cd, Fe, and Pb, while ascorbic acid has a minimal effect.
• Consumption of chamomile infusions, even with varying preparation methods and additives, is considered safe regarding the analyzed heavy metals.