## 3 Results and Discussion
### Elemental Profile of SN Extracts
In the case of the toxic elements, the type of extraction had no effect. Significant differences between means were determined by using the Tukey's HSD (\(p<0.01\)). These results are presented as lower-case letters in superscript in Table 3. Different letters within the same row indicate significant differences of means (\(p<0.01\)). Regarding the food safety regulations in the Republic of Serbia, allowed amounts of the polluting elements, in this case Pb, Cd, and As, in alcoholic free refreshing drinks are 0.30, 0.03, and 0.30 mg/L, respectively, while 1.00 mg/L of As and 2.00 mg/L are maximal values of these elements in the teas. According the presented results (Table 3), all samples met these requirements and might be used in human nutrition, with the exception of UAE extract, which contained higher level of Pb then allowed in refreshing drinks. Furthermore, same regulations required contents of Sn, Fe, Cu, and Zn up to 100.00, 15.00, 5.00, and 5.00 mg/L, respectively, while the total content of Zn, Cu, and Fe should be up to 20 mg/L. According to Table 3, all four extracts met these requirements and might be considered as safe for usage in nutrition. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Element**} & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Sample**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**ANOVA**} \\ \cline{2-2} \cline{4-6}  & & **SE** & & **MAC** & **UAE** & **MAE** \\ \cline{2-6}  & & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Content (mg/L)**} & \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{Macroelement} & \(p\) \\ \hline Na & 60.84 \(\pm\) 1.59 b  & 90.37 \(\pm\) 0.47 a  & 56.60 \(\pm\) 0.09 c  & 46.96 \(\pm\) 0.72 d  & \textless{}0.0001 \\ K & 285.51 \(\pm\) 2.06 d  & 405.19 \(\pm\) 0.64 c  & 880.39 \(\pm\) 3.39 b  & 965.60 \(\pm\) 7.70 a  & \textless{}0.0001 \\ Mg & 12.33 \(\pm\) 1.19 d  & 104.43 \(\pm\) 0.19 c  & 162.08 \(\pm\) 0.52 b  & 191.99 \(\pm\) 2.60 a  & \textless{}0.0001 \\ Ca & 29.64 \(\pm\) 1.37 d  & 464.24 \(\pm\) 0.24 a  & 288.88 \(\pm\) 0.84 c  & 428.23 \(\pm\) 1.93 b  & \textless{}0.0001 \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{Microelement} & \\ \hline Fe & 3.53 \(\pm\) 0.06 b  & 4.19 \(\pm\) 0.93 b  & 8.24 \(\pm\) 0.16 a  & 6.87 \(\pm\) 0.02 a  & \textless{}0.0001 \\ Cu & 3.16 \(\pm\) 0.13 a  & 3.36 \(\pm\) 0.99 a  & 2.08 \(\pm\) 0.01 a  & 1.67 \(\pm\) 0.01 a  & 0.0083 \\ Mn & 0.11 \(\pm\) 0.04 c  & 0.27 \(\pm\) 0.05 b  & 0.35 \(\pm\) 0.01 b  & 0.55 \(\pm\) 0.01 a  & \textless{}0.0001 \\ Zn & 0.61 \(\pm\) 0.09 d  & 1.15 \(\pm\) 0.03 c  & 2.05 \(\pm\) 0.04 a  & 1.61 \(\pm\) 0.04 b  & \textless{}0.0001 \\ Cr & 0.20 \(\pm\) 0.01 a  & 0.22 \(\pm\) 0.03 a  & 0.01 \(\pm\) 0.00 b  & \textless{}0.0001 \\ Sn & 1.37 \(\pm\) 0.83 a  & 1.67 \(\pm\) 0.05 a  & 0.53 \(\pm\) 0.02 a  & 0.58 \(\pm\) 0.01 a  & 0.0224 \\ Ni & ND * & ND & 0.06 \(\pm\) 0.01 a  & 0.07 \(\pm\) 0.02 a  & 0.4818 \\ \hline \hline \multicolumn{6}{c}{Toxic element} & \\ \hline Pb & 1.36 \(\pm\) 0.59 a  & 0.92 \(\pm\) 0.07 a  & 1.13 \(\pm\) 0.06 a  & 0.30 \(\pm\) 0.05 a  & 0.0129 \\ Cd & 0.01 \(\pm\) 0.00 & ND & 0.01 \(\pm\) 0.00 & ND & - \\ Hg & ND & ND & ND & ND & - \\ As & 3.64 \(\pm\) 0.82 & ND & ND & ND & - \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Elements and minerals contents in obtained extracts. Beside meeting requirements of food safety regulations, the obtained results demonstrated the possibility of their usage for other purposes. Thus, according to the dietary reference intake (DRI) established by US Institute of Medicine, estimated intake amounts of elements are given where required daily amounts of Ca, Mg, Na, and K were 1.0-1.3 g/d, 240.0-420.0 mg/d, 1.2-1.5 g/d, and 4.5-4.7 g/d, respectively. On the other hand, estimated amounts for the Fe, Ni, Zn, Cu, Mn and Cr were 8.0-18.0 mg/d, 0.6-1.0 mg/d, 8.0-11.0 mg/d, 0.7-1.0 mg/d, 1.6-2.3 mg/d, and 20.0-30.0 mg/d, respectively [21]. Estimated amounts depend on the gender and age. Estimated values and determined values on obtained extracts suggested the possibility of their application as a source of essential elements for a human organism.