| Another move towards better quality tea
COLOMBO: The Plantation Industries Ministry will introduce new regulations to raise the quality of green tea leaves. The new regulations are now with the Legal Draftsman. The regulations were formulated by the Ministry on the directions of Plantation Industries Minister D. M. Jayaratna, a Ministry spokesperson said. The decision to formulate new regulations, to enhance the quality of young tea leaves, was taken after considering that 30 per cent of the leaves get destroyed during transport. The leaves get ruined from the point they are plucked and loaded into lorries and are hauled up to tea factories, said ministry sources. Minister Jayaratna had instructed the Ministry Secretary, J. Abeywickrema to introduce new methods to minimize the damage caused to tea leaves.
FDA Warns Of Herbal Tea Danger
The FDA says the unsafe herb might be dangerous to blood sugar, reproductive, cardiovascular and renal systems. In a letter to the makers of the popular Celestial Seasonings-brand products, FDA officials say the South American herb stevia is an unsafe food additive. Stevia is several hundred times sweeter than sugar but with no calories, is approved as a dietary supplement, but not as a food additive in the U.S. The herb is being eyed by several big beverage companies that are looking for new low-calorie sweeteners. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions/Regional News Service) .
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