Aluminium dans le matcha : ce qu'il faut savoir

September 30, 2026

Aluminum in Matcha: What You Need to Know

Since the end of September, a report from UFC Que Choisir has been circulating widely, and understandably so, in conversations about matcha: aluminum was detected in all seven references tested, with more than half exceeding the reference value set by French health authorities. Many of our customers have written in, rightly, to ask what's going on. Here's what we know today, what we're doing on our end, and why we'd rather talk to you straight than offer half-reassurance.

Where this aluminum comes from, and why matcha is more exposed

Aluminum, like lead, cadmium or arsenic, which we already covered in our article on heavy metals, isn't an additive or a processing residue: it's an element naturally present in soil, which every plant absorbs in small amounts through its roots. The tea plant is no exception.

The difference with a classic brewed tea is that aluminum dissolves very little in hot water: most of it stays trapped in the leaf, which is discarded after steeping. Matcha, on the other hand, is a powder made from the whole leaf that you drink in its entirety, exactly as we explained in our article on tencha. What makes matcha special, drinking the leaf rather than discarding it, is precisely what explains why it concentrates more of certain elements present in the soil, aluminum included, just like heavy metals.

What the report found, in brief

Published on September 24, 2026, the UFC Que Choisir report looked at seven commercially available matcha references. All seven contained aluminum, and more than half exceeded the toxicological reference value set by Anses. For the most affected matcha in the panel, a single cup alone would represent several times that daily reference value. The association also noted a general trend, with the cheapest matchas in the panel generally being the most concentrated in aluminum, and recommends moderating consumption of matcha lattes or green tea pastries rather than giving them up entirely. Our matchas were not among the seven references tested in this report, a useful detail to know, though it obviously doesn't replace our own verification.

Regulation that's still incomplete

Unlike classic heavy metals, aluminum currently has no regulatory maximum limit in the European Union, a gap that Que Choisir itself points out. Two scientific benchmarks exist nonetheless. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set a provisional tolerable weekly intake of 1mg per kg of body weight per week back in 2008, across all dietary sources, not just tea. France's national health safety agency (Anses), for its part, applies a stricter reference value, lowered in 2025 to 40 micrograms per kg of body weight per day, and it's this more demanding value that Que Choisir uses in its report. Two different scales, then, not always easy to compare directly, but both pointing the same way, genuine vigilance around this element, without a single regulatory threshold yet in place to settle the question.

OUR APPROACH

What we're doing at Noka

Facing this controversy, we chose the same approach we took with heavy metals.

First thing to clarify, none of our 4 matchas were among the seven references tested by UFC Que Choisir. That's reassuring to know, but it says nothing more than that, not having been tested isn't the same as having test results, which is why we're not stopping there.

Second, this commitment to transparency isn't new for us. Our heavy metal and pesticide testing, already carried out across our full range and published with the complete reports to back it up, shows levels well below the industry's usual benchmarks. Aluminum wasn't part of that testing, which is exactly why we've now commissioned a dedicated analysis, and here's where things stand.

We've launched independent lab testing specifically focused on aluminum, across all 4 of our matchas, in addition to the heavy metal and pesticide testing already carried out. We don't yet have these results in hand as we write this, and we don't want to make any claims about our own products until we have real numbers to show you.

As soon as these results are available, we'll update this article with the full breakdown, compound by compound, and the lab reports available for free download, exactly as we did for our heavy metal and pesticide testing. We believe this kind of transparency, rather than an empty promise, is the only real response to a controversy like this one.

Good to know: our matchas weren't part of the Que Choisir report, and we'll publish our own aluminum results as soon as they're available.

While we wait for results, how to enjoy your matcha with peace of mind

There's no reason to give up your matcha overnight, and that's not what Que Choisir recommends either, which calls for moderation rather than stopping altogether. A few useful guidelines, valid no matter which brand you drink. The amount matters, a reasonable dose per bowl remains preferable to a heavily dosed matcha consumed several times a day, we cover these guidelines in our article on daily matcha consumption. Traceability and transparency matter too, the report itself notes a general trend, with the cheapest matchas in the panel generally being the most concentrated in aluminum, a good reminder that a matcha's quality and origin are never a minor detail. Finally, don't hesitate to ask any brand, ours included, whether they publish their full lab reports rather than just a summary.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Aluminum and matcha

Is the aluminum in matcha dangerous?

The risk depends on the total amount ingested over the day, across all sources, not just matcha. It's precisely the lack of a single EU regulatory threshold that makes this hard to settle simply, which is why it's worth staying informed rather than panicking or dismissing the question.

Why is matcha more affected than a brewed green tea?

Because aluminum dissolves very little in hot water. With a brewed tea, most of it stays in the leaf that gets thrown away. With matcha, you drink the whole ground leaf, so whatever it absorbed from the soil too.

Were your matchas tested for aluminum?

None of our 4 matchas were among the seven references tested by UFC Que Choisir. That said, we've launched our own independent lab testing on aluminum, continuing on from our heavy metal and pesticide testing already published, but we don't yet have the results as we publish this article. We'll share them in full, with the complete reports, as soon as they're available.

Should I stop drinking matcha in the meantime?

That's not what health authorities or consumer associations recommend, they call for moderation rather than stopping entirely. A reasonable dose per bowl, without overdoing it over the course of the day, remains the simplest guideline to follow.

Is a matcha's price linked to its aluminum content?

The report notes a trend in that direction, with the cheapest references in the tested panel generally being the most concentrated. It's not an absolute rule, but a good reminder that a matcha's origin and quality are never a minor detail.

In summary

The aluminum found in matcha isn't a fabrication, it comes from the soil just like the heavy metals we already covered, and the way matcha is consumed, the whole leaf rather than a simple infusion, explains why the topic deserves real attention. Our matchas weren't among the seven references tested by UFC Que Choisir, and our already-published heavy metal and pesticide testing shows levels below the industry's usual benchmarks, two reassuring points, but they don't replace a real analysis of aluminum itself. We've launched our own lab testing on this specific point and will publish the full results as soon as we have them, without claiming anything beforehand. In the meantime, moderation remains the simplest guideline, and nothing suggests you need to give up your matcha overnight.

Have a question about this news or our ongoing testing? Feel free to reach out, we'd be happy to help.