Abstract

Fluoride is present in various foods ingested daily. It has been demonstrated that the in- take of high concentrations of fluoride, both in adults and children, can cause pathologies, among which dental fluorosis, osteoporosis and damage to the central nervous system stand out. The ob- jective of this study was to determine the fluoride concentrations in 60 samples of ready-to-drink cold brewed coffee of different brands and types (expresso, cappuccino, macchiato and decaffein- ated) by the fluoride ion-selective potentiometric method. A statistical analysis was also performed to discern the existence of differences between these categories. The highest fluoride concentration (1.465 mg/L) was found in espresso coffee followed by Macchiato (1.254 mg/L). Decaffeinated coffee is the one that presented the lowest fluoride concentration with 0.845 mg/L. The risk assessment was conducted considering different consumption scenarios (250, 500 and 750 mL/day). The UL (upper level) established by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) at 7 mg/day was used. The consumption of three servings poses no health risk; however, it confers a significant value of fluo- ride contribution to the diet.


*Original full-text article online at: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/10/1615