Black tea and spices are a valuable source of natural bioactive ingredients. One of the factors affecting the antioxidant status and the content of bioactive compounds in tea infusions is their enrichment with various additives and consumption in the form of blends and chemical composition. Additives to teas are often herbs, flowers and spices. The aim of the study was to determine the content of polyphenols, fluoride and antioxidant potential in infusions and to examine the correlation between these parameters. In addition, the effect of added spices on the above parameters was verified. The research material consisted of infusions of black tea with the addition of spices prepared at 80°C. The content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity were determined by the spectrophotometric method. Fluoride concentrations were measured by the potentiometric method. The highest content of polyphenols occurred in tea with cloves (345.49 ppm), while the lowest was in the infusion with cardamom (343.59 ppm). The strongest antioxidant properties distinguished the infusion with cloves (79.11% of DPPH inhibition), and the weakest ones were determined in the infusion with turmeric (72.7% of DPPH inhibition). The highest content of fluoride was inb the tea with turmeric (0.809 mg/L), while the lowest one appeared in the infusion with cloves (0.358 mg/L). The study indicates that the spices and fluoride content affect the antioxidant properties of infusions and their content of polyphenols. High fluoride levels decrease the antioxidant capacity of tea infusions.

23.2.2018