The Content of Rutin in Tea Production and its Impact on the Human Body

Abstract

Purpose. The article focuses on the research results concerning the content of vitamin P in the different types of tea in the commercial network of Cherkasy region.

Introduction. Vitamin P is not synthesized in the human body, and enters it with the food mostly of vegetable origin. It plays a vital role in the body and is involved in providing a range of metabolic transformations of vital compounds; it has capillaries strengthening, antioxidant and anti-sclerotic effect. Vitamin P in combination with vitamin C has a positive effect on the processes of tissue respiration, inhibits lipid peroxidation in the body, and improves the functional state of adrenal cortex hormones. The catechins of tea adsorb harmful substances (heavy metals, radionuclides) and remove them from the body. The biologically valuable substances of tea have a positive effect upon lipid and cholesterol metabolism.

A huge range of tea products is presented at the Ukrainian market; they do not often meet the quality standards of the product. There is practically neither state funding of the laboratory test of product quality or the information for the population. The publications concerning the quality indicators of different tea types entering the Ukrainian market are not found.

The black and green tea of the highest quality of the most widespread brands at the Ukrainian market “Askold”, “Dilmah”, “Greenfield”, “Lipton”, “Batik” and “Brook Bond” were selected to determine the content of vitamin P in the tea of different trademarks.

Methods. The experimental determination of rutin amount in tea was carried out by Leventhal’s titration method based on the ability of potassium tetraoxomanganate to oxidize catechins. The obtained results are significantly lower than the standards data of the literary sources that shows the inappropriate ecological conditions of cultivation, long shelf life, product falsification, etc.

Results. The highest content of vitamin P was found in the tea extract of “Green field” trademark among the studied green tea and “Brook Bond” trademark among the black tea. The lowest content of rutin, which does not meet the standards of the highest quality production, was found in the black and green tea of “Ahmad” and “Lipton” trademark.

Originaliti. Green tea has higher content of vitamin P than black tea of the corresponding trademark that may be explained by the features of the production. However, according to the literary sources, green tea has twice more rutin than black one that contradicts the results of our research.

Concluusion. The provision of the human body with biologically active substances and vitamins, considering the unfavourable ecological, social and economic life conditions of the Ukrainian population, is important nowadays. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the quality of the production which enters the food market of Ukraine