Elemental and Speciation Analyses of Different Brands of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis)

Abstract

In this work, a methodology for determination of As(III), As(V), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), Fe(II) and Fe(III) in fifty-eight samples (forty-nine products of thirteen brands from three countries) commercial yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) was performed. The hyphenated high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (HPLC-ICP OES) technique was used. Arsenic was determined below the quantification limit in 38 samples of yerba mate. As(III) was found at the level 0.09 and 0.08 mg kg−1. The As(V) content was in the range: 0.21 to 0.28 mg kg−1. The content of DMA was found the highest of the three arsenic species in the range: 0.21 to 0.47 mg kg−1. The content of Fe(II) and Fe(III) was found in the range: 0.61 to 15.4 mg kg−1 and 0.66 to 43.1 mg kg−1, respectively and the dominance of Fe(III) was observed. Moreover, total and extractable content of 16 elements were determined. The results have been subjected to statistical analysis in order to establish relationships between samples of the same origin (country), kind (type) and composition (purity).

Leaves, Infusion, and Grounds—A Three–Stage Assessment of Element Content in Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) Based on the Dynamic Extraction and Mineralization of Residues

“…These similarities were probably characteristic of investigated products, e.g., most despadala samples were Brazilian, most Paraguayan samples were con palo, and most Argentinian samples were pure yerba mate. The following order can be found in the literature: Cr > Cd > Co [3,8,22].…”

“…It should be emphasized that 30 different yerba mate products were used for this purpose. The element content leached after dynamic extraction was compared and discussed with those obtained with ultrasound-assisted extraction, which was reported earlier [3,5]. This three-stage strategy is supposed to be a model procedure for the laboratory preparation of yerba mate grounds.…”

“…This is understandable because Ilex paraguariensis is a unique material. Dried leaves and twigs contain many organic substances, i.e., purine alkaloids, polyphenols, and saponins [1,2], as well as those that are rich in elements [1,3,4]. Yerba mate, although frequently compared to tea (Camellia sinensis) and named "mate tea" [2], is completely different in terms of the elemental composition as well as the fraction of elements released into the infusion [4,5].…”

Analysis of Mercury Content in Various Types of Tea (Camellia sinensis) and Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis)

“…The tea bush (Camellia sinensis) and the Paraguay Holly (Ilex paraguariensis) may contain heavy metals, the concentration of which may vary depending on the country of origin of the plant [34,44,45] and the quality and composition of the soil on which it grows [45][46][47][48]. The raw materials are obtained from the above-ground parts of plants, which undergo technological processes that may also affect the content of pollutants.…”

Changes in the Physicochemical and Bioactive Properties of Yerba Mate Depending on the Brewing Conditions

“…Also, the mixtures of Yerba Mate products on the market differ in both the type and composition of the dried material, including the proportions of dried leaves to twigs and sticks [ 1 , 39 , 40 ]. Generally, there are two basic types of Yerba Mate, i.e., “elaborada” (or “elaborada con palo”) containing up to 30% twigs and sticks, and “despalada” (or “despalada sin palo”), containing up to 10% of these elements [ 40 , 41 ]. In practice, commercial products differ in the content of leaves, twigs, sticks, or dust; they may also contain the addition of dried herbs, fruits, or flowers [ 2 , 40 ], which makes Yerba Mate market products extremely diverse, both in terms of organoleptic and bioactive characteristics [ 26 , 40 ].…”