Risk Assessment of Caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Coffee Leaf Tea
Coffee leaf tea is prepared as an infusion of dried leaves of <i>Coffea</i> spp. in hot water. It is a traditional beverage in some coffee-producing countries and has been authorized in 2020 within the European Union (EU) according to its novel food regulation. This article reviews curre...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/3/263 |
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| author | Nadine Tritsch Marc C. Steger Valerie Segatz Patrik Blumenthal Marina Rigling Steffen Schwarz Yanyan Zhang Heike Franke Dirk W. Lachenmeier |
| author_facet | Nadine Tritsch Marc C. Steger Valerie Segatz Patrik Blumenthal Marina Rigling Steffen Schwarz Yanyan Zhang Heike Franke Dirk W. Lachenmeier |
| author_sort | Nadine Tritsch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Coffee leaf tea is prepared as an infusion of dried leaves of <i>Coffea</i> spp. in hot water. It is a traditional beverage in some coffee-producing countries and has been authorized in 2020 within the European Union (EU) according to its novel food regulation. This article reviews current knowledge on the safety of coffee leaf tea. From the various ingredients contained in coffee leaves, only two were highlighted as possibly hazardous to human health, namely, caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), with maximum limits implemented in EU legislation, which is why this article focuses on these two substances. While the caffeine content is comparable to that of roasted coffee beans and subject to strong fluctuations in relation to the age of the leaves, climate, coffee species, and variety, a maximum of 1–3 cups per day may be recommended. The EGCG content is typically absent or below the intake of 800 mg/day classified as hepatotoxic by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), so this compound is suggested as toxicologically uncritical. Depending on selection and processing (age of the leaves, drying, fermentation, roasting, etc.), coffee leaf tea may exhibit a wide variety of flavors, and its full potential is currently almost unexplored. As a coffee by-product, it is certainly interesting to increase the income of coffee farmers. Our review has shown that coffee leaf tea is not assumed to exhibit risks for the consumer, apart from the well-known risk of caffeine inherent to all coffee-related beverages. This conclusion is corroborated by the history of its safe use in several countries around the world. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:54:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6d31f9c7034f49639be3bdd1364c25dd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:54:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-6d31f9c7034f49639be3bdd1364c25dd2023-11-23T16:28:03ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582022-01-0111326310.3390/foods11030263Risk Assessment of Caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Coffee Leaf TeaNadine Tritsch0Marc C. Steger1Valerie Segatz2Patrik Blumenthal3Marina Rigling4Steffen Schwarz5Yanyan Zhang6Heike Franke7Dirk W. Lachenmeier8Postgraduate Study of Toxicology and Environmental Toxicology, Rudolf-Boehm-Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Universität Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, GermanyCoffee Consulate, Hans-Thoma-Strasse 20, 68163 Mannheim, GermanyChemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt (CVUA) Karlsruhe, Weissenburger Strasse 3, 76187 Karlsruhe, GermanyCoffee Consulate, Hans-Thoma-Strasse 20, 68163 Mannheim, GermanyDepartment of Flavor Chemistry, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstrasse 12, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyCoffee Consulate, Hans-Thoma-Strasse 20, 68163 Mannheim, GermanyDepartment of Flavor Chemistry, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstrasse 12, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyPostgraduate Study of Toxicology and Environmental Toxicology, Rudolf-Boehm-Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Universität Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, GermanyChemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt (CVUA) Karlsruhe, Weissenburger Strasse 3, 76187 Karlsruhe, GermanyCoffee leaf tea is prepared as an infusion of dried leaves of <i>Coffea</i> spp. in hot water. It is a traditional beverage in some coffee-producing countries and has been authorized in 2020 within the European Union (EU) according to its novel food regulation. This article reviews current knowledge on the safety of coffee leaf tea. From the various ingredients contained in coffee leaves, only two were highlighted as possibly hazardous to human health, namely, caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), with maximum limits implemented in EU legislation, which is why this article focuses on these two substances. While the caffeine content is comparable to that of roasted coffee beans and subject to strong fluctuations in relation to the age of the leaves, climate, coffee species, and variety, a maximum of 1–3 cups per day may be recommended. The EGCG content is typically absent or below the intake of 800 mg/day classified as hepatotoxic by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), so this compound is suggested as toxicologically uncritical. Depending on selection and processing (age of the leaves, drying, fermentation, roasting, etc.), coffee leaf tea may exhibit a wide variety of flavors, and its full potential is currently almost unexplored. As a coffee by-product, it is certainly interesting to increase the income of coffee farmers. Our review has shown that coffee leaf tea is not assumed to exhibit risks for the consumer, apart from the well-known risk of caffeine inherent to all coffee-related beverages. This conclusion is corroborated by the history of its safe use in several countries around the world.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/3/263coffee leaf teanovel foodcoffee by-products<i>Coffea arabica</i>risk assessmentcaffeine |
| spellingShingle | Nadine Tritsch Marc C. Steger Valerie Segatz Patrik Blumenthal Marina Rigling Steffen Schwarz Yanyan Zhang Heike Franke Dirk W. Lachenmeier Risk Assessment of Caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Coffee Leaf Tea Foods coffee leaf tea novel food coffee by-products <i>Coffea arabica</i> risk assessment caffeine |
| title | Risk Assessment of Caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Coffee Leaf Tea |
| title_full | Risk Assessment of Caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Coffee Leaf Tea |
| title_fullStr | Risk Assessment of Caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Coffee Leaf Tea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risk Assessment of Caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Coffee Leaf Tea |
| title_short | Risk Assessment of Caffeine and Epigallocatechin Gallate in Coffee Leaf Tea |
| title_sort | risk assessment of caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate in coffee leaf tea |
| topic | coffee leaf tea novel food coffee by-products <i>Coffea arabica</i> risk assessment caffeine |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/3/263 |
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