Leaching of cadmium and lead from dried fruits and fruit teas to infusions and decoctions

Leaching of Cd and Pb from selected dried fruits (bilberries and apples) and commercially available fruit teas into infusions and decoctions during preparation of beverages, has been investigated. The content of Cd and Pb in the studied materials and water extracts was analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy. Direct slurry sampling of the examined materials to the graphite furnace gave comparable results with dry ashing mineralisation. The content of Cd and Pb in the studied materials was established and the percentage of the total content extracted to infusions and decoctions was found. The highest content of these elements was found in samples of bilberries: Cd-0.813; Pb-1.370 mu g/g. The maximum obtained values for leaching of cadmium from apples, bilberries (boiling for 20min) and fruit teas (infusion for 10min) were 7.9%, 5.8% and 8.6%, respectively. Lead is more easily leached from the studied materials than cadmium-maximum values: 47.8% for apples; 35.3% for bilberries and 35.2% for fruit teas have been found. The evaluation of the intake of those elements with the consumption of fruits and extracts on the basis of values of provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) and admissible content of the elements in the studied materials is discussed. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.