a Diploma Paper with The TU Dresden (Technical University of Dresden)
The use of nicotine as an organic insecticide has officially been forbidden since 2008. Nonetheless, nicotine is still often found in Indian teas. In most cases, the findings are below the maximum permitted level of 0.6mg/kg, EU Reg. 396/2005, but the origin of this nicotine is still being debated. The purpose of the present study, as in the case of anthraquinone, is to determine the source of the nicotine in the tea. In order to obtain a complete and representative picture of the nicotine problem, we are studying many samples of different origins and at different stages in production.
First results are expected end of 2018.
Publications on this subject:
Romanatto, A., Gassert. K.: Determining the origin of nicotine in organic tea growing in Darjeeling; a presentation of the results of a study by PiCA GmbH and the Teekampagne presented at a meeting of the Deutschen Teeverband e.V.(German Tea Association) on 7 July 2016.