Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Mate Tea Microencapsulated with Maltodextrin and Lasiodiplodan ((1 -> 6) beta-D-Glucan)

The occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in organic mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) was investigated to evaluate whether the roasting and drying processes under milder temperatures would promote lower PAH levels in the product. Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) was used to quantify PAH contents. Different concentrations of PAH were found in all samples of mate tea analyzed, such as acenaphthylene varied between 1.209 and 1.524 mu g center dot g(-1); acenaphthene varied between 2.504 and 4.375 mu g center dot g(-1); fluorene varied between 1.488 and 1.843 mu g center dot g(-1); chrysene ranged between 0.093 and 0.263 mu g center dot g(-1); benzo[a]pyrene varied between 0.988 and 3,398 mu g center dot g(-1); dibenzo(a,h) anthracene was identified in all the samples, but at concentrations below the limit of quantification. Naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[k]fluoranthene were identified in the sample used for the extraction of soluble solids that have been encapsulated. The PAH concentration in mate tea samples was above the recommended by European Union legislation for dried herbs and powders of food of plant origin for the preparation of beverages. New yerba mate processing strategies should be studied to minimize PAH contamination and promote healthier products, in addition to government policies for quality control and regulation specifying limit values for the PAHs.