Preparation and evaluation of the physicochemical and stability properties of three herbal tea blends derived from four native herbs

Herbal teas consist of mono and sometimes poly-herbal recipes of herbs with acclaimed health benefits which are often brewed as infusion or decoction. Three variants of poly-herbal teas containing Herbiscus sabdariffa, Moringa oleifera, Citrus limon, and Zingiber officinale were prepared and evaluated for their physicochemical and stability properties. Intrinsic physicochemical properties that include organoleptic, ash value, pH of brew solutions, extractive matter as well as non-intrinsic properties such as moisture content, flow and particle size of granules and dust leak from teabags were determined. Also, the effects of stressful storage conditions on some physicochemical properties were evaluated. The different tea blends showed remarkable differences in their physicochemical properties. The products also showed discrepancies in stability parameters such as appearance, pH of the brew and antioxidant properties when stored under different conditions. In all, the herbal tea showed good physicochemical and stability properties that are characteristic of a good finished herbal product.