engleski

Potential of herbal waste material from the tea factory for dietetic supplements production

Balkan region has been recognized as a territory with significant quantities of medicinal plants resources. Many of these herbs, available on local markets, are collected from the wild, but there is an increasing number of species obtained by commercial cultivation. Resources of medicinal plants and awareness of modern consumers on medicinal plants health benefits compounds and benefit in diseases prevention, impacted significantly on the increased development of tea factories all across Serbia and Croatia. The capacity of this development can be described on production level increase of 10% annually. The export of locally produced bulk herbs, filter and instant tea, to the markets of EU and North America, was also increased significantly over the last decade. During the filter tea production, which includes mostly mechanical operations (cutting, grinding, sifting, fractionating etc.), so called “herbal dust” is created in significant quantities. Herbal dust can be defined as the herbal material of particle size lower than the size of filter packaging material pores. As the particles of herbal dust are lower than that of filter packaging pores, herbal dust cannot be used in the production of final product-filter tea bag, and, actually, it is rejected from the production process as the herbal waste material. The growing number of tea producers and the increased production of filter teas implicating the significantly increase in quantities of herbal waste. In most cases the “herbal dust” is created from the finest parts of the herb-the herbal leaves. Usually the amount of this kind processed material with undesirable particle is from 10% to 15%. The amount of this way obtained herbal waste during the processing of different fruits is even higher, from 10% to 35%. Significant part of the herbal waste represent Rosa canina seeds, around 35%. As the production of filter tea in the states Serbia and Croatia includes, among others, processing of scientifically proven valuable herbs such as Mentha piperita, Ginkgo biloba, Melissa officinalis, Uvaursi, Thymus serphyllum, Hypericum perforatum and Achillea millefolium, and valuable fruits and roots such as Glycyrrhiza glabra, Malus silvestris, Prunus spinosa, Aronia melanocarpa and Rosa canina, the obtained herbal waste, with no doubt, represent the great potential for secondary usage and exploitation of significant bioactive ingredients for further application in production of highly valuated products, potentially dietetic supplements. Compounds that could be expected in this way obtained waste are: aromatic compounds present mostly in essential oils, manifesting very strong antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant properties, and for that used in antimicrobial, analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic preparations ; Phenolic and flavonoid compounds-health promoters highly valuated mainly for theirs strong antioxidant characteristics ; Vitamins, especially C and E, whose importance is linked primarily to theirs powerful antioxidant and cardioprotective properties.

filter tea; waste; vitamins; aromatic compounds; phenols

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