Analysis of the Composition and Contaminants in Packaged Mixed Herbal Tea Blends from Aydın Province

Medicinal plants and herbal infusions have been used for centuries in healing and disease prevention, maintaining their importance in traditional medicinal practices worldwide. Due to their perceived natural origin, botanical medicines and herbal tea blends are generally expected to be safe for consumers and free from contaminants. This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to analyze the composition of eleven different labelled and unlabelled packaged mixed herbal teas. These tea blends were obtained from fifteen registered herbalists and spice shops under the Aydın Provincial Directorate of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock. Each blend underwent individual analysis, and the labels on the packages were documented. The plants in the blends were identified through morphological analysis, and the presence of foreign substances or contaminants was recorded. The morphological analyses revealed that all of the packaged products contained plant materials from foreign species that were not listed on the labels, making them unsuitable for inclusion in the blends. Additionally, several tea samples were found to contain animal matter, including insect larvae, insect eggs, and bird feathers, with some packages even containing live insects. Furthermore, significant fungal contamination was observed in certain tea blends. These findings indicate that mixed herbal teas sold by herbalists may be of poor quality, containing undeclared and potentially harmful substances. The study highlights a serious concern that warrants increased public awareness and stricter regulation of these products.