ROSELLE

THE ROSELLE

The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a species of hibiscus native to the old world tropics, used for the production of fibre and as an infusion. It is an annual or perennial herb or woody-based.

The flowers are 8–10 cm (3–4 in) in diameter, white to pale yellow with a dark red spot at the base of each petal, and have a stout fleshy calyx at the base, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) wide, enlarging to 3–3.5 cm (1.2–1.4 in), fleshy and bright red as the fruit matures. It takes about six months to mature.

PRODUCTION China and Thailand are the largest producers and control much of the

world supply. Thailand invested heavily in roselle production and their product is of superior quality, whereas China's product, with less stringent quality control practices, is less reliable and reputable. The world's best roselle comes from the Sudan, but the quantity is low and poor processing hampers quality. Mexico, Egypt, Senegal, Tanzania, Mali and Jamaica are also important suppliers but production is mostly used domestically.

Roselle is a relatively new crop to create an industry in Malaysia. It was introduced in early 1990s and its commercial planting was first promoted in 1993 by the Department of Agriculture in Terengganu. The planted acreage was 12.8 ha (30 acres) in 1993, but had steadily increased to peak at 506 ha (1,000 acres) in 2000. The planted area is now less than 150 ha (400 acres) annually, planted with two main varieties. Terengganu state used to be the first and the largest producer, but now the production has spread more to other states. Despite the dwindling hectarage over the past decade or so, roselle is becoming increasingly known to the general population as an important pro-health drink in the country. To a small extent, the calyces are also processed into sweet pickle, jelly and jam. jimmon rubillos

BENEFIT OF ROSELLE.

Rich in Vitamin C – 3x more than blackcurrant and 9x more than citrus.

Rich anti-oxidant (anthocyanins) Has also vitamin D, B1, B2, B2 complex, A,

niacin and calcium

DRINK BENEFITS

Natural electrolyte to substitute mineral sweated while playing sport

Reduce inflammation kidney and urinary Reduce blood hypertension Normalize blood pressure Stimulate internal peristalsis Relief cough and fever. Resistance to disease Reduce absorption of alcohol. Softening the skin.

GALLERY

Decoring — removal of a seed capsule from the fruit using a simple hand-held gadget to obtain its calyx

Variation in flower colour of roselle (a tetraploid species)

Two varieties are planted in Malaysia (Left - variety Terengganu or UMKL-1;right - variety Arab. The varieties produce about 8 t/ha (3.6 short tons/acre) of fresh fruits or 4 t/ha (1.8 short tons/acre) of fresh calyces. On the average, variety Arab yields more, and with higher calyx to capsule ratio.

Dried roselle calyces can be obtained in two ways; one way is by harvesting the fruits fresh, decore them, and then dry the calyces; the other way is by leaving the fruits to dry on the plants to some extent, harvest the dried fruits, dry them further if necessary, and then separate the calyces from the capsules

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