Journal of Advances in Food Science & Technology

Jatropha tanjorensis is traditionally used as a vegetable and medicinal plant, but its potential as a herbal tea remains relatively underexplored. In this study, Jatropha tanjorensis leaves were processed into green and black teas using standard methods. The phytochemical composition (saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and oxalates), selected micronutrients (vitamin C, iron and zinc) and sensory characteristics of these J. tanjorensis herbal teas were determined. Sensory evaluation employed a 9-point hedonic scale with 20 panellists, with commercial green and black teas included as reference samples. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the green and black J. tanjorensis teas in the measured phytochemical and micronutrient parameters. Black J. tanjorensis tea contained higher levels of saponins (1.85%), flavonoids (12.15%), tannins (11.53%) and oxalates (3.05%), whereas green tea had a higher alkaloid content (3.85%). Green tea also recorded higher concentrations of vitamin C (19.07 mg/100 g), iron (1.72 mg/100 g) and zinc (0.17 mg/100 g) than black tea. Sensory evaluation showed significant differences in aroma and overall acceptability, while appearance and taste did not differ significantly. Black J. tanjorensis tea generally received higher sensory scores than green J. tanjorensis tea, particularly for aroma and overall acceptability. The findings indicate that the two processing approaches resulted in distinct compositional and sensory characteristics, supporting further development of J. tanjorensis leaves as a herbal tea ingredient.