In the aftermath of the East Palestine train derailment disaster on February 3, 2023, concerns about dioxin toxicity have prompted exploration of natural mitigation strategies. Dioxins, highly toxic pollutants released from the burning of vinyl chloride, pose significant health risks. A 2005 study published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry highlights the potential of black tea theaflavins, polyphenols derived through fermentation, to neutralize dioxin toxicity by suppressing the transformation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR).

Study Reference: Fukuda et al., "Black tea theaflavins suppress dioxin-induced transformation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor."