Your daily chai may hide iron particles: FSSAI shares an easy way to spot them

Iron surprise

That comforting morning cup of tea may hide something you would never expect — tiny iron particles. According to the information shared by FSSAI, such particles can enter tea leaves during processing, including through machinery, making a simple purity check worth knowing.

Magnet clue

You do not necessarily need a laboratory to spot possible iron particles in tea leaves. FSSAI suggests a remarkably simple household check involving a magnet, giving consumers a quick way to look for magnetic particles before brewing their everyday cup.

Kitchen test

Spread a small quantity of dry tea leaves in a thin layer on clean white paper or a plate. Then slowly move a magnet just above the leaves without rubbing it against them — a tiny experiment that could reveal something unusual hiding among the dark tea granules.

Hidden particles

Watch the magnet carefully. If small, dark particles rise from the tea leaves and stick to it, the material could contain iron particles. If nothing attaches to the magnet, the test has not detected magnetic iron contamination in that particular sample.

Simple warning

The magnet test is easy, inexpensive and can be performed within minutes, but it is essentially a screening check rather than a complete laboratory analysis. It can flag magnetic particles, giving consumers a reason to examine suspicious tea more closely rather than blindly brewing another cup.