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IIT-G researchers develop pharmaceutical, food products from tea waste

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Guwahati, Sept 14: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) have developed innovative technologies for sustainable and efficient utilisation of tea waste from the tea industry.

The research leverages a key regional resource to promote a more sustainable and diversified economy in the Northeastern states of India.

The developed technologies harness the potential of tea waste that leads to creation of new revenue streams within the local tea industry.

According to a recent study, tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide with world tea consumption reaching 6.3 million tonnes and is expected to rise to 7.4 million tonnes by 2025. This huge increase in tea consumption leads to an increase in industrial tea waste generation which leads to non-utilisation of valuable agricultural resources and deterioration of the environment.

Because of its high lignin and low inorganic content, efficient utilisation of tea industry waste demands scientifically advanced techniques. Addressing the waste utilisation and management issues becomes paramount as it aligns with sustainable practices and innovative solutions, ensuring both industrial growth and ecological preservation.

The research team led by Mihir Kumar Purkait, department of chemical engineering, IIT-G, has carried out cutting-age research on the diversified application of tea factory waste to various pharmaceutical and foods products.

The range of innovative value-added products developed in the laboratory at IIT-G include low-cost antioxidant-rich supplements which are designed to provide an affordable healthier lifestyle option by harnessing green tea’s potential properties, besides organic preservatives, biochar among others.

The research team has filed multiple patents on the basis of these developments. These include technologies related to catechins from green tea leaves that are used to create organic preservatives, extending the shelf life of fresh fruit juices; catechin powder, besides spent tea leaves that are processed into pharmaceutical-grade super-activated carbon

The findings of these studies have also been published in various international journals including International Journal of Biological MacromoleculesChemosphere and Critical Reviews in Biotechnology.

This research has been carried out by Somnath Chanda, Prangan Duarah, and Banhisikha Debnath as a part of their PhD thesis work in the Centre for The Environment of IIT-G.

Elaborating on one such technology to harness the potential of tea waste, Purkait said, “The convenience and health benefits of catechin-based capsules open a promising avenue, offering users access to the advantages of catechins without the necessity of multiple cups of green tea. This caters to the increasing demand for antioxidant-rich supplements in our daily routines.”

The commercial potential of these products is substantial. For instance, the demand for catechin-based health supplements and organic preservatives are on the rise among health-conscious consumers and food processing companies.

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