Bitter profiling of phenolic fractions of green Cyclopia genistoides herbal tea

Abstract The bitter taste of Cyclopia genistoides infusions is unacceptable to consumers, who are used to the slightly sweet taste of the herbal teas produced from other Cyclopia species. Bitter taste intensities of crude phenolic fractions of a bitter hot water extract of C. genistoides were determined by a trained panel to identify the fraction contributing most to the bitter taste. Fractions, enriched in benzophenones (B), xanthones (X) and flavanones (F), and each tested at their infusion equivalent concentration (IEC) scored 5, 31 and 13 (on a 100-point scale), respectively. Fraction B, containing mostly iriflophenone glucosides, was perceived as not bitter. The major xanthone in fraction X, mangiferin, was significantly ( p p