What the study found
Peppermint commercial tea extracts were found to contain terpenes as the main volatile compounds, making up most of the total composition. The study also reports that the volatile profile of the aqueous extract may not fully reproduce the chemical properties of peppermint essential oil.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest that the differences they observed may be related to the analytical approach used, especially the extraction and pre-concentration technique. They also conclude that the apparently lower proportion of terpenes in the aqueous extract means homemade tea may not match peppermint essential oil chemically.
What the researchers tested
The researchers examined volatiles from aqueous extracts of commercial peppermint sachets prepared under conditions similar to homemade tea. They used solid phase extraction (SPE), a method that traps compounds on a material before releasing them with a solvent, followed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).
What worked and what didn't
Short- and medium-chain carboxylic acids and ketones were estimated at about 50-64 microg kg(-1), while aliphatic alcohols and acyclic hydrocarbons were below 6 microg kg(-1). Terpenes were the major volatiles, measured at 275-382 microg kg(-1) and accounting for 89% of the total composition. The study also reports 16 compounds, including dodecane, acetoin, acetol, citral, geraniol, and octanoic acid, described for the first time in peppermint tea.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe experimental limitations beyond noting that the findings may depend on the extraction and pre-concentration technique used. The study is limited to volatile compounds in commercial peppermint tea sachets prepared in aqueous extract form.
Key points
- Terpenes were the dominant volatile group in peppermint commercial tea extracts, accounting for 89% of the total composition.
- Estimated levels of short- and medium-chain carboxylic acids and ketones were about 50-64 microg kg(-1).
- Aliphatic alcohols and acyclic hydrocarbons were reported at less than 6 microg kg(-1).
- Sixteen compounds were described for the first time in peppermint tea, including citral, geraniol, and octanoic acid.
- The authors suggest that peppermint tea may not fully reproduce the chemical properties of peppermint essential oil.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Peppermint tea extract was rich in terpenes
- Authors:
- Liza Ghassan Riachi, Iara Elizabeth Abi-Zaid, Ricardo Felipe Alves Moreira, Carlos María
- Institutions:
- Centro de Estudos e Pesquisa em Saúde Coletiva, Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-08
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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