FLUORIDE CONTENT IN CAFFEINATED, DECAFFEINATED AND HERBAL TEAS

The fluoride contents of infusions prepared from 44 different brands a nd types of teas were measured. Fluoride concentrations ranged from 0. 34 to 3.71 ppm (mean = 1.50 ppm) in caffeinated tea infusions, 0.02-0. 14 ppm (mean = 0.05 ppm) in herbal tea infusions, and 1.01-5.20 ppm (m ean = 3.19) in decaffeinated tea infusions. This is the first report o f the fluoride content of decaffeinated teas. The mean fluoride conten t of decaffeinated tea infusions is significantly (p <0.01) higher tha n the corresponding caffeinated tea. The use of mineral water containi ng a naturally high fluoride level during the process of decaffeinatio n is the most likely explanation of the above observation.