Company 'Orient Jay GmbH' has announced a recall of several batches of mate drink from the German market after it was confirmed that they contain high levels of substances that may be harmful to health. The recall affects the green and white varieties of 'Herba Mate' under the 'Kharat al-Hadra' brand. Laboratory tests revealed that their content of anthraquinones and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exceeds the permitted limits. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies anthraquinones as a substance 'possibly carcinogenic to humans', which prompted the relevant authorities to immediately ban the sale of the affected batches and initiate the process of withdrawing them from points of sale. The recalled batches include 250-gram packages. The green batch has the number 0234, and the white batch has the number 0144. The expiration date for both batches is April 2028. The products were distributed in stores in eight German states, including Berlin, Bavaria, Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The company is asking consumers who have these packages to stop using them and return them to the store, even without a purchase receipt. It also advises consulting a doctor if there are any health concerns, with a special warning for pregnant women and children. This event comes at a time when mate, a popular drink in South America made from the leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant, has been spreading widely in Europe, especially among the Syrian diaspora.
