Availability of aluminium from tea and coffee

The amount of aluminium in different kinds of tea and ground coffee was analysed, the transfer of aluminium into the infusion was determined and aluminium intake via tea and coffee was calculated within the framework of our investigations. Aluminium concentrations amounted to (in mu g/g dry matter): black tea, 899; flavoured black tea, 763; peppermint tea, 477; mountain herbal tea, 419; fruit tea, 292; ground coffee, 19. About 30% of the aluminium stored in black tea's dry matter was transferred into the infusion, which contained 4.2 mg Al/l. In contrast, the availability of aluminium from peppermint and fruit tea as well as from ground coffee was very low (about 5%). The calculated aluminium intake via tea and coffee was 0.2 to 0.3 mg/day and contributed about 5% to the total aluminium intake. Only black tea infusions are a significant source of aluminium intake via beverages.