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Geographical protection for rooibos |
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January 2009 |
The SA Rooibos Council (SARC) wants the name rooibos, and products from it, internationally recognised and legally protected as uniquely South African.
/~Generally the use of geographical indications allow producers to obtain
market recognition - often at a premium price and are intended to point
to product quality, such as Champagne, Turkish carpets etc.
SA's rooibos industry is worth an estimated R375m (excluding exports)
in retail value and is the single biggest rooibos tea market, consuming
around 5000t/year of rooibos tea; roughly 7000t/year is exported to 30
countries.
A process to have the product name legally protected is underway, says SARC spokesperson, Soekie Snyman.
As part of these efforts, product quality criteria will be developed,
with the aim of establishing a quality standard or "value seal" for
rooibos tea.
"We are often asked what constitutes a good cup of rooibos tea," says
Snyman. "It is a complicated question as it depends largely on market
requirements, but linked to certain criteria as set by the industry
itself, it would be much easier to answer."
Results announced late last year from a clinical trial on the health
properties of rooibos, show that it may help to prevent the development
of heart disease.
"We have found that rooibos is particularly effective at reducing
oxidative damage to lipids (fats), thereby helping to prevent or slow
down atherosclerosis, or the hardening of arteries," says Dr Jeanine
Marnewick, who led the clinical trial at the Oxidative Stress Research
Centre at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
"We measured the effect of rooibos by looking at two markers in the
blood that are indicators of oxidative lipid damage, namely conjugated
dienes (CDs) and malondialdehydes (MDAs)," Marnewick explains. "We
observed a decrease of nearly 35% in CDs in the blood of the
Rooibos-drinking participants and a 50% decrease in MDAs."
Oxidative damage in lipids is accepted as a very important step in the
development of atherosclerosis. CDs are formed during the early stages
of oxidation (destruction) of important cellular components such as
lipids (fats). MDAs are oxidation end-products of polyunsaturated fatty
acids that causes defects in protein synthesis and enzyme inactivation
in human cells. Patients with coronary artery disease usually have a
higher MDA level than normal.
"We also monitored oxidative stress by measuring the ratio of oxidised
versus reduced glutathione (GSH) in the blood," Marnewick explains.
"Our results show a significant improvement - and therefore decreased
risk of heart disease - in the study participants who drank six cups of
rooibos per day."
Forty men and women between 30 and 60 years, each with two or more risk
factors for developing heart disease, participated in the study. They
drank six cups of rooibos per day for six weeks and followed a diet
free of other flavonoid-rich foods to make sure the health effect could
be ascribed to rooibos only.
This study also generated the first human safety data in a controlled
clinical trial environment, scientifically showing that short-term
consumption of Rooibos is safe for the liver and kidneys, while keeping
various blood parameters (such as blood pressure and cholesterol
levels) in a normal range.
"We are excited about these results and are in the process of compiling
a manuscript for submission to a scientific journal for peer review and
ultimately publication," Marnewick adds.
"While there is a convincing body of anecdotal evidence about the
health benefits of rooibos, our industry is committed to investing in
world class research in order to verify where and how rooibos is most
effective and how people can benefit from this unique South African
beverage," says Mientjie Mouton, director of the SA Rooibos Council's
product research portfolio. "We are hopeful that the outcome of this
and future clinical trials will enhance the credibility of rooibos as a
leading functional food product."
Marnewick plans to continue her rooibos research by looking at genetic
differences between the study participants (to possibly explain why
some people responded differently to rooibos), and will also
investigate how the bio-active compounds in rooibos prevent DNA damage
(an important step in the development of cancer). She also wants to
investigate the effect of rooibos on stress levels, by measuring
changes in cortisol (a stress-related hormone) in the blood.
Visit: www.sarooibos.org.za
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