Abstract:
Bael Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa, belonging to the family Rutaceae, is an
underutilized fruit crop despite its significant therapeutic properties and untapped
potential for the global herbal tea market. This study evaluated the feasibility of
formulating herbal tea from different parts of Bael; whole flowers, stamens, and
immature fruits and found the best element of Bael for herbal tea preparation by
examining inherent phytochemical and antioxidant properties, mineral contents, and
organoleptic qualities. Herbal tea was prepared by crushing and oven-drying the raw
materials, which were then sieved and packed into tea bags. An aqueous extraction
was subjected to phytochemical analysis and sensory evaluation. Total phenol and
flavonoid contents were measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu and modified aluminum
chloride (AlCl₃) methods, respectively. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the
DPPH free radical scavenging assay and ORAC assay, while mineral content was
analyzed by ICP-MS. Sensory evaluation was conducted by thirty-one untrained
panelists using a 7-point Hedonic scale. All non-parametric data was analyzed by
using the Friedman test, and parametric data was statistically analyzed using a one
way ANOVA test at a significant level of 95%. Results indicated that herbal tea made
from immature fruit had significantly (p<0.05) high amount of phenolic
(206.63±1.58 mg GAE g-1) and flavonoid contents (12.90±0.12 mg QE g-1) compared
to herbal tea with whole flower and stamen. The highest level of antioxidant activities
(67.22±2.4 µg mL-1) was in whole flower tea. No significant differences (p>0.05)
were observed in the ORAC assay among three tea types. Comparatively higher
mineral content was recorded in stamen tea. Sensory evaluation revealed that herbal
tea made from immature fruit had the best organoleptic qualities, while stamen was
the least suitable for herbal tea preparation. In conclusion, herbal tea made from
immature Bael fruit demonstrated strong market potential, due to its high
phytochemical content, antioxidant properties, and favorable sensory qualities. The
formulated immature Bael fruit tea outperformed the Bael tea currently available in
local markets.
