Abstract:
Tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world, next to water. Outdated
pesticides have been documented as one of the major problems in Africa, particularly in
Ethiopia. DDT and endosulfan were detected in Jimma Zone The main objective of this study
was to determine the most persistent organochlorine pesticides in different brands of tea and
their potential risk to consumers. A total of nineteen different tea brands were purchased
purposively from shops and supermarkets found in Jimma town and Addis Ababa city. Five
organochlorine pesticide residues (Aldrin (0.1465 mg/kg), γ-Chloridane (0.167 mg/kg), DDT
(0.2044 mg/kg), Endrin (0.3067 mg/kg), and Dibutylchlorepoxide (0.4089 mg/kg) were
detected from domestic tea samples. And four organochlorine pesticide residues (Endosulfan
Sulfate (0.258 mg/kg), Methoxychlor (0.458 mg/kg) and Dibutyl Chloridate (1.427 mg/kg))
were detected from imported tea samples. Average concentration of DDT is above the MRLs
and Endosulfan Sulfate is below the MRLs established in China. The EDIs of γ- Chloredane
and Endrin were greater than ADIs. The findings of this study pertaining to the detection of
pesticide residues in tea from shops and supermarkets in Jimma towns and Addis Ababa city.
This is an indication of the widespread or historical use of organochlorine pesticides in tea
as they are stable in the environment for long period of time. Strict regulation of pesticide
during production, importing, their sale, and for application in the field is important for
Ethiopia
