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Table 1 List of the Italian commercialized black and green tea packages analysed in this study (N and V samples, respectively). For each accession is reported information about the marketing quality (high, medium and low), sales network (D = discount supermarket; H = herbalist’s shop; S = supermarket; P = drugstore) and the price (ϵ) [(A), <1ϵ; (B), <1 < ϵ < 2; (C), 2 < ϵ < 4; (D), 4 < ϵ < 6; (E), >6ϵ]. Numbers of filters/package, gr/filter, ingredient and infuse protocol preparation have been copied from the original package

From: Comparative assessment of the quality of commercial black and green tea using microbiology analyses

Code

Marketing quality‡

Sales network

Price

n° filters/

package

gr/filter

Label information

Infusions instructions:

H2O°C, min**

Black teas

N1

Medium

H

D

2

1.5

Organic black teas leaves of Camelia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (100%)

Bo., 5-8

N2

Medium-good

P, H

D

20

2

Tea leaves [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze]

Bo., 5-6

N3

Good

S

B

25

1.5

Black tea, aromas

100, 2-3

N4

Low-medium

S

C

15

2

Not reported

Bo., 3

N5

Good

P, H

C

20

1.75

Black certified tea 100%

80, 1-3

N6

Good

S

B

25

1.5

Tea

100, 3-5

N7

Good

S

C

25

1.5

Decaffeinated tea

100, 3-5

N8

Good

S

B

25

1.5

Not reported

Bo., 2-3

N9

Good

S

C

25

2

Black tea (94%), lemon aroma (6%)

100, 3-4

N10

Low

S

B

25

1.75*

Black tea (100%)

Bo., 3-5

N11

Good

S

D

23

1.5

Decaffeinated black tea, caffeine <0.1%

100, 3

N12

Low

S

B

25

1.7

Black tea

Bo., 3

N13

Low

S

B

25

2*

Black tea (95%), natural lemon aroma (5%)

90-100, 3

N14

Low

S

B

25

1.75*

Black tea leaves

Bo., 3-5

N15

Medium

H

C

20

2

Decaffeinated organic black tea, caffeine <0.1%

100, 3-5

N16

Good

S

C

14

5†

Sugar, acidifier (citric acid), decaffeinated tea extract, aromas, lemon juice powdered (0.5%). Gluten free

N.d.

Green teas

V1

Good

P, H

E

20

2

Pure leaves of green tea (Camelia sinensis Kuntze)

Bo., 5-7

V2

Medium

P, H

E

20

2

Green tea leaves (Camelia sinensis) (99%), bergamot essential oil (1%)

Bo., 5

V3

Medium

H

D

20

1.5

Organic green tea leave [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] (100%)

Bo., 5-8

V4

Medium

P, H

D

20

1.8*

Green tea leave

Bo., 3-5

V5

Medium-good

P, H

D

20

2

Unfermented organic tea (Camellia sinensis L.) leave

Bo., 5-6

V6

Medium

H

C

20

1.75

Green tea certified by Fairtrade

80, 3

V7

Medium

H

D

20

2*

Not reported

Bo., 3-5

V8

Good

S

C

25

1.3*

Green tea (100%)

90, 2-3

V9

Good

S

C

10

1.3*

Green tea, aromas, peel of citruses (2.1%: grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange)

90, 2-3

V10

Good

S

C

10

1.3*

Green tea, aromas, spices 2% (anise, cinnamon, liquorice)

90, 2-3

V11

Good

S

C

10

1.3*

Green tea, aromas, mint (7.9%)

90, 2-3

V12

Good

S

C

25

1.6

Green tea

75, 3

V13

Low

S

B

25

1.75*

Green tea

Bo., 3-5

V14

Low

S

B

25

2*

Organic green tea

80, 3

V15

Low

D

A

20

1.75

Green tea

Bo., 3-5

V16

Medium

S

A

–

125††

Sugar, acidifier (citric acid), green tea soluble extract, aromas, ginseng soluble extract

N.d.

  1. ‡, value determined by a questionnaire conducted on 25 people (13 females and 12 males); *, value deducted; **, between a range of two values, the average has been used; †, soluble; ††, soluble power for 1.5 L of infusion; Bo., boiling water, temperature used of 90 °C; N.d., no datum