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
| 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. |
‡, 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