WO2023156538A1

WO2023156538A1 - A zinc fortified herbal composition

Info

Publication number: WO2023156538A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/053918
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vadivel Govindaswamy; Deepak Ramachandra Mhasavade; Swathy Palagiri; Ravi Mohan; Balamurugan VELUSAMY
Original assignee: Ekaterra Research and Development UK Limited
Priority date: 2022-02-18
Filing date: 2023-02-16
Publication date: 2023-08-24

Abstract

The present invention relates to a herbal composition. In particular, the present invention relates to a zinc fortified herbal tea composition. Accordingly, the present invention provides a herbal composition comprising; a) a zinc compound; b) a pH regulating agent, wherein the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 7.5 and 12 at a concentration of 0.1 N; and c) a herbal product.

Description

A ZINC FORTIFIED HERBAL COMPOSITION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a herbal composition. In particular, the present invention relates to a zinc fortified herbal tea composition.

Background and Prior Art

Staying hydrated is believed to bring about many health benefits to both the body and mind. Thus, it is often said that many non-alcoholic beverages are believed to refresh the mind. There are many non-alcoholic beverages available in the market for consumption. Tea and coffee are the most popular out of these. Traditionally, tea referred to those products which were obtained from the tea plant Camellia Sinensis. However, recently the definition of tea has become much broader, and it is now generally accepted that the definition of tea also includes any form of herbal infusion. Thus, these herbal infusions are now also commonly referred to as herbal teas.

Herbal teas or herbal infusions are becoming increasingly popular because of the various health benefits provided by the different herbs. That is, herbal teas are generally rich in antioxidants, vitamins and essential nutrients, compounds which are strongly associated with health benefits, such as relieving stress, boosting immunity, reducing pain and aiding digesting. Thus, herbal teas are seen as a convenient way of delivering these essential nutrients and elements to an individual.

One essential element that has recently gained a lot of interest in the food industry is zinc. Zinc is believed to be a key component in boosting immunity. It is therefore believed that regular consumption of zinc can have a positive longterm effect on the immunity of an individual.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has made people significantly more aware of their immunity. As a result, there is a lot of interest and desire for products which can help to enhance an individual’s immune response. Accordingly, zinc and zinc supplemented foodstuffs have become very popular in recent years.

There are several zinc supplements available on the market. Although, of these, there are very few reports of zinc supplemented teas, let alone zinc supplemented herbal teas.

The present inventors have established that including zinc in a herbal tea product is particularly problematic. The inventors established that delivering a significant and substantial amount the zinc to the end cup was not easy to achieve. Furthermore, the inventors established that it is also challenging to preserve the aesthetic and sensual properties of the herbal tea infusion, whilst achieving a sufficient delivery of zinc to the end cup.

The inventors established that simply adding zinc to a herbal tea product resulted in an inadequate amount of zinc being taken up and delivered to the end beverage. For economic and sustainability reasons, the amount of zinc delivered to the end cup should ideally be as high as possible, and as far as possible should be proportionate to the amount of zinc added to the herbal tea during processing. Furthermore, adding zinc to a herbal tea product can result in problems associated with the coating processes, such as the formation of lumps in the herbal tea product.

Thus, there remains a need for a zinc fortified herbal tea composition which delivers high amounts of zinc to the end cup beverage, ideally whilst also preserving the aesthetic and sensual properties of the herbal tea infusion as far as possible, and without the presence of lumps.

Objects of the invention

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a herbal tea composition comprising zinc.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a herbal tea composition comprising zinc which is substantially free from lumps. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a herbal tea composition comprising zinc which has an appearance and taste of regular herbal tea products.

The present inventors have surprisingly found that a herbal composition comprising a zinc compound, specific pH regulating agents and a herbal product can provide a zinc fortified herbal composition without any non-natural appearance, thereby satisfying one or more of the above-mentioned objectives.

Summary of the invention

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a herbal composition comprising; a) a zinc compound; b) a pH regulating agent, wherein the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 7.5 and 12 at a concentration of 0.1 N; and c) a herbal product.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a herbal composition comprising; a) a zinc compound; b) a pH regulating agent, wherein the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 7.5 and 12 at a concentration of 0.1 N; c) a first polysaccharide comprising maltodextrin and/or a modified starch; d) a second polysaccharide comprising gum arabic and/or xanthan gum; and e) a herbal product.

This and other aspects, features and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description. For the avoidance of doubt, any feature of one aspect of the present invention may be utilized in any other aspect of the invention. The word “comprising” is intended to mean “including” but not necessarily “consisting of” or “composed of.” In other words, the listed steps or options need not be exhaustive. It is noted that the examples given in the description below are intended to clarify the invention and are not intended to limit the invention to those examples per se. Similarly, all percentages are weight/weight percentages unless otherwise indicated. Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts of material or conditions of reaction, physical properties of materials and/or use are to be understood as modified by the word “about”. Numerical ranges expressed in the format "from x to y" are understood to include x and y. When for a specific feature multiple preferred ranges are described in the format "from x to y", it is understood that all ranges combining the different endpoints are also contemplated.

Detailed description of the invention

The disclosure of the invention as found herein will be understood to cover all embodiments as found in the claims and as discussed hereinbelow.

The present invention provides a herbal composition comprising; a) a zinc compound; b) a pH regulating agent, wherein the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 7.5 and 12 at a concentration of 0.1 N; and c) a herbal product.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a herbal composition comprising; a) a zinc compound; b) a pH regulating agent, wherein the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 7.5 and 12 at a concentration of 0.1 N; c) a first polysaccharide comprising maltodextrin or a modified starch; d) a second polysaccharide comprising gum arabic and xanthan gum; and e) a herbal product.

The invention is about a zinc fortified herbal composition, in particular a zinc fortified herbal tea composition. Preferably, the zinc compound is a water-soluble zinc compound. Any water- soluble zinc compound may be suitable for this purpose of the present invention. It will be appreciated that the zinc compound suitably covers all relevant hydrates, solvates and salts of the zinc compound. Preferably, the zinc compound is selected from zinc sulphate, zinc citrate, zinc gluconate, zinc glycinate, zinc ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (zinc EDTA), zinc chloride, zinc acetate, zinc nitrate, zinc iodide, zinc bromide zinc fluoride and mixtures thereof. More preferably, the zinc compound is selected from zinc sulphate, zinc citrate, zinc gluconate, zinc glycinate, zinc ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (zinc EDTA) and mixtures thereof. Still more preferably, the zinc compound is selected from zinc sulphate, zinc citrate, zinc glycinate and mixtures thereof. Even more preferably, the zinc compound is zinc sulphate. Most preferably, the zinc compound is zinc sulphate heptahydrate.

The amount of zinc compound is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 4 %, more preferably 1 to 3%, and most preferably 1 .5 to 2% by weight of the composition.

The composition also comprises a pH regulating agent. The pH regulating agent has a pH of between 7.5 and 12 at a concentration of 0.1 N. Preferably, the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 8 and 12 at a concentration of 0.1 N. More preferably, the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 8 and 10 at a concentration of 0.1 N. Most preferably, the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 8 and 9 at a concentration of 0.1 N. It will be understood that the pH values quoted herein are those measured at ambient conditions (e.g. at 25 °C and 1 atmosphere).

In certain preferred aspects and embodiments of the invention, the pH regulating agent is selected from sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate and mixture thereof. Preferably, the pH regulating agent is selected from sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate and mixture thereof. Most suitably, the pH regulating agent is potassium bicarbonate. The amount of pH regulating agent in the composition of the present invention is preferably in the range of 0.05 to 6%, more preferably 0.1 to 4%, even more preferably 0.1 to 3%, still more preferably 0.25 to 2%, and most preferably 0.5 to 1 % by weight.

The herbal composition of the present invention also preferably comprises two polysaccharides: a first polysaccharide comprising maltodextrin and/or modified starch and a second polysaccharide comprising gum arabic and/or xanthan gum

Preferably, the first polysaccharide is selected from maltodextrin, modified starch and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the first polysaccharide is maltodextrin.

Maltodextrin is a well-known food additive. It is a flavourless substance. It is generally produced from vegetable starch by hydrolysis. The starch is preferably corn or wheat.

The amount of maltodextrin used in the composition of the present invention is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 5%, more preferably 1 to 4%, furthermore preferably 2 to 4% and most preferably 2 to 3% by weight of the composition.

Preferably, the ratio of the zinc compound to maltodextrin in the herbal composition is between 8:1 and 1 :8. More preferably, the ratio of zinc to maltodextrin in the herbal composition is between 8:1 and 1 :4. Even more preferably, the ratio of zinc compound to maltodextrin in the herbal composition is between 6:1 and 1 :2. Yet more preferably, the ratio of zinc to maltodextrin in the herbal composition is between 5:1 and 1 :1. Most preferably, the ratio of zinc to maltodextrin in the herbal composition is between 4:1 and 1 :1

The term modified starch will be understood as being any naturally occurring starch that is modified by physical, chemical or enzymatic processes. Preferably, the modified starch is acetylated starch, dextrin or cross-linked starch.

The amount of modified starch used in the composition of the present invention is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 5%, more preferably 1 to 4%, furthermore preferably 2 to 4% and most preferably 2 to 3% by weight of the composition. The herbal composition of the present invention also comprises a second polysaccharide. Preferably, the second polysaccharide is selected from gum arabic, xanthan gum and mixtures thereof. Gum arabic is also commonly known as gum acacia. It is an edible water-soluble gum widely used in food industries as stabilizer and/or thickener.

The amount of gum arabic and/or xanthan gum in the composition of the present invention preferably is in the range of 0.05 to 6%, more preferably 0.1 to 4%, further preferably 0.1 to 3% and most preferably 0.5 to 2% by weight.

Preferably, the ratio of the first polysaccharide (e.g. maltodextrin) to the second polysaccharide (e.g. gum arabic) is from 40:1 to 1 :5, more preferably 35:1 to 1 :2, still more preferably 25:1 to 1 :2, even more preferably 15:1 to 1 :2, yet more preferably 5:1 to 1 :2, and most preferably 3:1 to 1 :1 (e.g. 2:1 ).

The herbal composition of the present invention comprises a herbal product. A herbal product preferably means a herbal product which is obtained after the herbal manufacturing processes. The herbal product is preferably a herbal tea product.

Preferably, the herbal (tea) product comprises less than 10%, more preferably less than 7%, and most preferably less than 5%, moisture by weight of the herbal (tea) product.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term herbal (tea) product may preferably be any (tea) product produced from a herbal plant material which is fit for human consumption. The herbal plant material may preferably comprise the leaves of the plant, roots of the plants, flowers of the plant, fruits of the plants or any other parts of the plants. Preferably, the herbal plant material refers to the leaves of the plant. It will be appreciated that the term herbal (tea) product also encompasses the leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits of shrubs. Preferably, the herbal (tea) product comprises medicinal plants which preferably means plants that have beneficial properties associated with human health.

In certain preferred embodiments, the herbal (tea) product is selected from a rooibos (tea) product, a hibiscus (tea) product, a chamomile (tea) product, a rosehip (tea) product, a mint (tea) product, a lemon verbena (tea) product, a chicory (tea) product, an orange (tea) product, a yerba mate (tea) product and combinations thereof.

It will be understood that mint (tea) products may include, for example, peppermint (tea) products, spearmint (tea) products, apple mint (tea) products, Moroccan mint (tea) products and the like.

It will also be appreciated that the herbal (tea) product is preferably not a tea product from Camillia sinensis (e.g. black tea or green tea).

Preferably, the herbal (tea) product is selected from a rooibos (tea) product, a hibiscus (tea) product, a chamomile (tea) product, a lemon verbena (tea) product and combinations thereof. More preferably, the herbal (tea) product is selected from a rooibos (tea) product, a hibiscus (tea) product, a chamomile (tea) product and combinations thereof. Still more preferably, herbal (tea) product is selected from a rooibos (tea) product or a hibiscus (tea) product. Most preferably, the herbal (tea) product is a rooibos (tea) product.

The amount of herbal tea product in the composition is preferably in the range of 85 to 99.5%, more preferably 85 to 98.5%, even more preferably 87 to 98.5%, yet more preferably 90 to 98.5% and most preferably 92 to 98.5% by weight of the composition.

Preferably, the herbal (tea) product is a herbal (tea) product blend. That is, the herbal (tea) product is a blend of the zinc fortified herbal (tea) product described herein and a non-zinc fortified herbal (tea) product. Preferably, the blend comprises between 1 and 50 % of the zinc fortified herbal (tea) product by weight of the herbal (tea) product. More preferably, the blend comprises between 1 and 40 % of the zinc fortified herbal (tea) product by weight of the herbal (tea) product. Still more preferably, the blend comprises between 1 and 30 % of the zinc fortified herbal (tea) product by weight of the herbal (tea) product. Even more preferably, the blend comprises between 1 and 20 % of the zinc fortified herbal (tea) product by weight of the herbal (tea) product. Yet more preferably, the blend comprises between 1 and 10 % of the zinc fortified herbal (tea) product by weight of the herbal (tea) product. Most preferably, the blend comprises between 2 and 8 % of the zinc fortified herbal (tea) product by weight of the herbal (tea) product.

In certain embodiments, the herbal (tea) product is the zinc fortified herbal (tea) product described herein.

It will be understood that the composition of the present invention may comprise further nutrients. The further nutrients may be selected from vitamin C, iron, or any other suitable nutrients.

The present invention will now be demonstrated by way of non-limiting examples below. The examples are for illustration only and do not limit the scope of the invention in any manner.

Examples

Preparation of different zinc fortified tea products

Different zinc fortified tea products were prepared using the processes as described below.

Example A

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), was mixed in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. After thorough mixing, the pH of the coating solution was measured as 4.4. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 3 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the zinc coated rooibos tea was blended with 2.375 g of regular tannings rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example A1

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C) and 1 g of potassium bicarbonate was mixed in 91 g of water. After thorough mixing, the pH of the coating solution was measured as 6.1. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 3 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the zinc coated rooibos tea was blended with 2.375 g of regular tannings rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example B

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), 3.52 g of xanthan gum and 7 g of maltodextrin were mixed in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. After thorough mixing, the pH of the coating solution was measured as 4.4. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 3 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the zinc coated rooibos tea was blended with 2.375 g of regular tannings rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example B1

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g I 100g water at 25 °C), 3.52 g gum acacia, 7 g maltodextrin and 1 g of potassium bicarbonate were mixed in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. After thorough mixing, the pH of the coating solution was measured as 6.15. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 3 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the zinc coated rooibos tea was blended with 2.375 g of regular tannings rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example B2

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), 3.52 g gum acacia, 7 g maltodextrin and 0.6 g of potassium hydroxide were mixed in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. After thorough mixing, the pH of the coating solution was measured as 6.15. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 3 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the zinc coated rooibos tea was blended with 2.375 g of regular tannings rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below. Example C

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), 0.2 g gum acacia, 7 g maltodextrin were mixed in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. After through mixing, the pH of the coating solution was measured as 5.89. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 3 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the zinc coated rooibos tea was blended with 2.375 g of regular tannings rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example C1

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), 0.2 g gum acacia, 7 g maltodextrin and 1 g of potassium carbonate were mixed in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. After thorough mixing, the pH of the coating solution was measured as 5.89. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 3 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the zinc coated rooibos tea was blended with 2.375 g of regular tannings rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example D

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C),

3.52 g of gum acacia and 7 g of maltodextrin were mixed thoroughly in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 6 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the the zinc coated rooibos tea was blended with 2.375 g of regular rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example E

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), 10.5 g of gum acacia and 1 g of potassium bicarbonate were mixed thoroughly in 91 g of distilled water (at 25°C) to prepare a coating solution. 176.7g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 6 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the dried tea as produced above is blended with 2.375 g of regular rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example F

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), 10.5 g of maltodextrin and 1 g of potassium bicarbonate were mixed thoroughly in 91 g of distilled water (at 25°C) to prepare a coating solution. 176.7g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 6 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the dried tea as produced above is blended with 2.375 g of regular rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example G

10 g of zinc gluconate hydrate (solubility: 10.5 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), 3.52 g of gum acacia and 7 g maltodextrin and 1 g of potassium bicarbonate were mixed thoroughly in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. 176.7 g of tannings grade rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the rooibos tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 6 minutes. Then, 0.5 g of the dried tea as produced above is blended with 2 g of regular rooibos tea (obtained from South Africa). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

Example H

30 g of zinc sulphate heptahydrate (solubility: 57.7 g / 100 g water at 25 °C), 3.52 g of gum acacia, 7 g of maltodextrin and 1 g of potassium bicarbonate were mixed thoroughly in 91 g of distilled water (at 25 °C) to prepare a coating solution. 176.7g of tannings grade peppermint tea (obtained from Martin Bauer, Germany) was taken in a bowl and the coating solution was sprinkled on the peppermint tea and mixed thoroughly in a Hobart blender for 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was next dried using a fluidized bed drier at 110 °C for 6 minutes. Then, 0.125 g of the dried tea as produced above is blended with 2.375 g of regular peppermint tea (obtained from Martin Bauer, Germany). The blend was then packed in a single chamber rectangle shaped tea bag and then used to prepare tea infusion as mentioned in the infusion preparation protocol described below.

For the above examples Zinc Sulfate Heptahydrate (Catalogue No: 1088830500) and Gum Arabic (gum acacia) (Catalogue No: 1042281000) were obtained from Merck ® and Maltodextrin (Catalogue No: 419699-100G) was obtained from Sigma Aldrich. Zinc gluconate hydrate was obtained Kusuma Pharma, India.

After the above herbal tea products were prepared, the infusions were produced from the tea products using the following protocol:

Infusion Preparation protocol

2.5 g of herbal tea product was taken in a rectangular size single chamber tea bag and sealed and taken in a mug. 200 mL of boiling water was poured on it. After 3 minutes of brewing, the bag was gently removed, and liquor was taken for further analysis.

Estimation of Zinc

The amount of zinc in the final tea beverages were measured using the following the regular ICP-OES procedure (Inductively coupled plasma - Optical Emission Spectrophotometer):

The tea infusions were acidified with concentrated nitric acid (~65%) and digested in a microwave digester (Make: Anton Paar, Model: Multiwave Go) for 60 minutes. The digested solution was then injected in ICP-OES (Agilent) and the emission spectral intensity was measured at the wavelength of 213.8nm. The intensity was then converted to concentration of zinc using a standard calibration curve.

Infusion color measurements using Hunter Lab

The colour of rooibos tea infusions was measured using Hunter lab Vis instruments. The illuminant used was D65, the observer angle was 10 Deg. The cuvette size was 1 cm. The mode used was Transmittance, The CILAB colour space was used to calculate L*a*b*.

The results are summarized below in Table 1 . Table 1 : Zinc delivery to the infusion: Rooibos and peppermint Zinc fortified tea

From the data above presented data, it is evident that Examples A1 , B1 and C1 , where the herbal composition comprises zinc sulphate heptahydrate and a pH regulating agent (potassium bicarbonate), achieve delivery of large amounts of zinc (>55%) to the end cup infusions, whilst maintaining an infusion colour similar to the standard herbal tea product (e.g. rooibos tea). Crucially, in examples where the herbal composition does not contain a pH regulating agent such as potassium bicarbonate (Examples A, B, C and D), the end colour of the infusion is significantly different (lighter) than that of the standard herbal tea infusion. As consumers tend to prefer darker coloured infusions, the significant colour change in these compositions is clearly unfavourable.

Also, in examples where strong bases such as potassium hydroxide are used as the pH regulating agent, the zinc salts begin to unfavourably precipitate out of the coating solution. The data presented above further demonstrates that the ability to deliver large amounts of zinc (>55%) to the end cup infusions, whilst maintaining an infusion colour similar to the standard herbal tea product, is maintained when polysaccharides such as maltodextrin and gum arabic are added to the coating solution. This is significant as polysaccharides such as maltodextrin and gum arabic beneficially provide additional long-term physical stability to the herbal compositions, and the zinc fortified herbal tea products.

Therefore, from the description of the invention, it is very clear that by way of present invention it is now possible to provide a zinc fortified herbal tea composition without changing the sensorial properties, like colour, of the herbal tea.

Claims

\Ne claim:

1 . A herbal composition comprising; a) a zinc compound; b) a pH regulating agent, wherein the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 7.5 and 12 at a concentration of 0.1 N; and c) a herbal product.

2. The herbal composition according to claim 1 wherein the amount of zinc compound is in the range of 0.5 to 4 % by weight of the composition.

3. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims 1 or 2 wherein the zinc compound is selected from zinc sulphate, zinc citrate, zinc gluconate, zinc glycinate, zinc EDTA and mixtures thereof.

4. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the zinc compound is selected form zinc sulphate, zinc citrate, zinc glycinate and mixtures thereof.

5. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pH regulating agent has a pH of between 8 and 10 at a concentration of 0.1 N.

6. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pH regulating agent is selected from sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate and mixture thereof.

7. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the amount of the pH regulating agent is in the range of 0.1 to 4.

8. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the herbal composition comprises a first polysaccharide comprising maltodextrin and/or a modified starch, and a second polysaccharide comprising gum arabic and/or xanthan gum. The herbal composition according to claim 8, wherein the first polysaccharide is maltodextrin, and the second polysaccharide is selected from gum arabic, xanthan gum and mixtures thereof. The herbal tea composition according to claims 8 and 9, wherein the amount of maltodextrin is in the range of 0.5 to 5% by weight of the composition. The herbal tea composition according to claims 8 and 9, wherein the amount of gum arabic and/or xanthan gum is in the range of 0.05 to 6% by weight. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the herbal product is selected from a rooibos tea product, a hibiscus tea product, a chamomile tea product, a rosehip tea product, a mint tea product, a lemon verbena tea product, a chicory tea product and an orange tea product or blends thereof. The herbal tea composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the herbal product is selected from a rooibos tea product, a hibiscus tea product, a chamomile tea product, a rosehip tea product, a lemon verbena tea product or blends thereof. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the herbal product is a rooibos tea product. The herbal composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amount of herbal product in the composition is in the range of 85 to 98.5% by weight of the composition.