Nigel/Ankit

This discussion is getting better and better! I am really excited!

I have been ill the entire weekend, but I just can't help
participating.

> Let's retain a sense of balance here - fluoride is naturally
present
> > in tea and is not a contaminant (neither is it a heavy metal).

Nigel, thanks for the correction.

I am particularly concerned about fluoride (and aluminium) because of
the focus on past scientific studies, mainly in West China, where
people had too much of them from the consumption of compressed tea.

Also the recent case study of a women in US suffering from fluorosis.

I am not an expert, but there have also been concern about fluoride
pesticide (if there is such thing, please correct me if I am wrong).

Again, open to correction. I really need to educate myself in this
matter much further.

My question is which tea do you test?

Dried tea leaf chemical composition?
Brewed tea liquor chemical composition?

I believe dried tea leaves contain less than half of soluble solids?

I have also thought that harmful substances in dried tea leaves are
less likely to be soluble.

So brewed tea liquor is better, but much more subjective as
preparation method can influence chemical composition.

So I guess standard practice is dried tea leaves, but bearing in mind
we are testing for a maximum here, and this is just an INDICATION
(probably less) of the amount present in brewed tea liquor?

Any data on the water-solubility of these pollutants will definitely
be very relevant.

Probably less soluble than vitamin C, theanine, caffeine and
catechins?

Julian
http://www.amazing-green-tea.com