Influence of Herbal Tea Ingredients on Bioaccessibility of Mercury and Arsenic

Mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) are highly toxic metal(loid)s, and the consumption of food (particularly rice and seafood) represents a significant pathway for human exposure to these elements. Dietary habits, such as the intake of herbal tea and soup, may profoundly influence this exposure, which can be assessed through bioaccessibility. This study investigated the effects of various herbal tea ingredients on the bioaccessibility of Hg and As. Our findings revealed that certain ingredients significantly reduced Hg bioaccessibility from food, with reductions ranging from 30.1 to 90.2%; chrysanthemum exhibited the highest efficacy, followed closely by honeysuckle. Notably, inorganic mercury (iHg) bioaccessibility was more susceptible to reduction than methylmercury (MeHg) when co-digested with herbal tea ingredients. Only glabrous greenbrier and abrus herb effectively reduced bioaccessible As from food, with bioaccessibility decreasing in the following order: inorganic As (iAs) > dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) > arsenobetaine (AsB). These findings suggest that specific ingredients can mitigate human exposure to Hg and As, highlighting the necessity for further research into their chemical properties and functional implications.