Odisha University develops herbal tea for diabetics and patients with heart and kidney disorders
Bhubaneswar: In a promising development for individuals suffering from diabetes and other chronic conditions such as kidney disorders, heart disease, and arthritis, Sambalpur University in Odisha has introduced a range of herbal teas designed to enhance the health of people with lifestyle-related diseases.
The teas, developed by the university’s Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, are made using herbs sourced from the Gandhamardan Hills, a region rich in medicinal plants. With 30 varieties of these medicinal teas now available, the university is planning to launch them in local markets soon, in collaboration with a startup.
According to university sources, the herbal teas have undergone successful testing on mice and have received approvals from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Genetic Modification Organism (GMO) authority, and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certifications.
“We have created 30 different varieties of herbal tea by blending green tea with medicinal herbs from the Gandhamardan Hills,” said Professor Pradip Kumar Nayak, head of the biotechnology and bioinformatics department.
“These teas are designed to help manage lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, high cholesterol, and liver and kidney detoxification,” he added.
The university has also installed specialised equipment for tea processing and packaging in its Food Science department, which is currently capable of producing 27 varieties of herbal tea. The tea leaves are sourced from Darjeeling and Assam before being blended with herbs collected from the Gandhamardan Hills, located near Paikamal in Bargarh district.
Dibya Ranjan Sahoo, director of Orchid Herbals Pvt. Ltd., the startup partnering with the university, stated, “After collaborating with Sambalpur University, we’ve established a production unit. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed, and we’ve secured the necessary FSSAI, ISO, and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) licenses.”