Aspalathus linearis (Burm.f.) Dahlg. (Fabaceae, Tribe Crotalarieae), an endemic South African fynbos species, is cultivated to produce the well-known herbal tea, rooibos. It is currently sold in more than 37 countries with Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States of America representing 86% of the export market in 2010. Its caffeine-free and comparatively low tannin status, combined with its potential health-promoting properties, most notably antioxidant activity, contributes to its popularity. First marketed in 1904 in its fermented (oxidised) form, green rooibos is a new product recently on the market. The utilisation of rooibos has also moved beyond a herbal tea to intermediate value-added products such as extracts for the beverage, food, nutraceutical and cosmetic markets. Its potential as a phytopharmaceutical, shown in recent scientific studies, has not yet been exploited. This review focuses on past and current research aimed at enhancing the value of rooibos herbal tea as a specialised, niche product and expanding its value-adding potential against the background of its traditional use and the current market. The focus falls specifically on aspects such as composition, processing, quality and rooibos as food and potential medicine. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Article in Pres

Honeybush tea (Cyclopia spp.), one of the traditional South African herbal teas with a long history of regional use, remained a cottage industry until the mid-1990s when researchers were instrumental in the development of a formal agricultural and agro-processing industry. It is one of the few indigenous South African plants that made the transition from the wild to a commercial product during the past 100 years. Research activities during the past 20 years included propagation, production, genetic improvement, processing, composition and the potential for value-adding. The present review provides an up-to-date and comprehensive record of the development of the South African honeybush industry, against the background of the historical highlights in the making of an industry. It provides a blueprint of the processes and actions involved in the development of a new agricultural and agro-processing industry from an herbal plant. Insight into challenges faced by the industry and future research needed to keep it competitive are provided. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Article in Pres