Evaluation of Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Selected Commercial Green Tea Brands in the Libyan Market

الملخص

 This study evaluated and compared the physical and chemical properties of three commercially available green tea brands in Libya: Ahmad Tea, Al-Jawhara Tea, and Al-Sahm Tea. Samples were randomly collected from retail stores in Wanazrik Al-Shati, Libya. Analytical methods included determination of moisture content, total solids percentage, tea leaf weight, foreign matter proportion, and potassium concentration (measured via wet digestion and flame photometry using a Corning 400 instrument). Significant variations were observed. Al-Sahm Tea exhibited the lowest moisture content (2.415%) and highest total solids (97.585%). Al-Jawhara Tea showed the lowest foreign matter (15.938%) and lowest potassium (12,180.00 mg/L). Ahmad Tea contained the highest foreign matter (21.728%) and highest potassium (23,008.46 mg/L), potentially due to jasmine leaf additives. These findings highlight quality disparities in locally available green teas, suggesting Al-Sahm Tea excels in moisture control, while Al-Jawhara offers superior purity. Results provide critical data for consumers and food quality regulatory bodies.