Leaves & herbs

Bio treatment of leaves & herbs

Leaves & herbs preservation is sensitive to moisture absorption, oxygen, heat, sunlight exposure and contact with exterior aromas. Leaves conservation can be achieved through a flexible hermetic packaging such as VacQPack’s, where an organic fumigation takes place and where a protective strategy keeps the goods away from contacting common threats as insect infestations and high levels of humidity.

A storage leaves conservation facilities requires a dark and airtight environment with 2 to 4% of moisture.

VacQPack grants, with flushes of Nitrogen N2 alternated with vacuum, the optimal atmospheric condition for the package of tea leaves, pharma leaves, aromatic leaves, tobacco and other herbs. Its software monitors and records the treatment delivered, and its liners thickness of 200 microns can hold even up to the sharpest edges of twigs.

Then, there are always problems related to insect infestation threats and cross contamination at the warehouse of tea and pharma leaves. In the case of a detected infestation, the fastest way to fight it is using flushes of Carbon Dioxide CO2 alternated with vacuum until the inner package atmosphere has only residues of oxygen. This bio treatment uses the toxicity of the Carbon Dioxide along the absence of oxygen – the anoxia effect.

On the meanwhile the most important and challenging goal on leaves & herbs preservation is its original quality. In fact, a bad preservation policy can affect total phenols, flavonoids contents and may cause degradation of antioxidant compounds and the destruction of the active metabolites. Fresh extracted leaves show high levels of phenols and flavonoids contents as well as it is at the highest of its capacity regarding antioxidants. It matters to keep this original values and extend the shelf life of tea leaves and pharma leaves and herbs.

Modified atmospheric packaging MAP combined with low pressure, low oxygen levels and using the correct storage temperature (>24C), will surely answer positively to these challenges.