*3.3. Risk Assessment for the (Herbal) Teas Based on Lifetime and Shorter Duration Exposure*

The MOE values for the 21 types of (herbal) teas were evaluated according to two exposure scenarios, including the consumption of one cup of tea daily throughout the whole lifespan (Figure 1A) and shorter-than-lifetime during two weeks a year for 75 years (Figure 1B). Of the seven PA-producing plants-derived teas, tephroseris, borage and lungwort resulted in the low range of the MOE values between 29 and 4687 upon a lifelong daily consumption without REP correction. The MOE values for tephroseris and borage remained below 10,000 when taking REP factors into account, while that for lungwort was increased by 219,444 (Figure 1A). For tephroseris tea, even short-term consumption of two weeks/year resulted in a low MOE value of 752 regardless of REP correction (Figure 1B), which was well below 10,000, indicating that this tea may pose a potential risk for human health. Having borage tea two weeks per year resulted in an MOE value of 1285, contrasting with an MOE value well above 10,000 due to REP correction. Notably, lemon balm, a tea from non-PA-generating plants, showed MOE values just below 10,000 irrespective

of REP correction when consumed daily for a lifetime. However, in the defined shorter duration exposure scenario, the resulting MOE values for this tea were well above 10,000. Interestingly, since asteraceae, gynura segetum and heliotropium each contained a few PAs at low concentrations, use of these teas resulted in MOE values far above 10,000 regardless of the exposure duration and REP correction, although these teas were obtained from PA-containing plants. Similarly, consumption of citroen melissa, fresh peppermint, mix herb (2), mix herb (3), forest fruit tea and lemon balm & liquorice may not raise health concern as no PAs were found or the resulting MOE values for these teas were multiple orders of magnitude higher than 10,000. In addition, use of earl grey, chamomile, green tea, rooibos, sage & lemon myrtle and eupatorium derived MOE values over 10,000 irrespective of the exposure duration and REP correction, indicating no health concern.

**Figure 1.** The MOE values calculated based on riddelliine for different types of (herbal) teas with or without REP correction when assuming a daily intake of one cup of tea per day for a lifetime (**A**) and for 2 weeks a year during a lifetime (**B**). Black bars represent the MOE values obtained based on the total PA levels corrected by the corresponding REP factors, while grey bars represent the MOE without REP correction. The red dashed line represents an MOE value of 10,000. n.a. indicates that data are not applicable due to a PA content < LOQ.
