Sustainability of teak–pandan herbal tea processing in an organic farming community enterprise: Comparative analysis of greenhouse solar and hot air-drying methods

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Abstract

This study aimed to develop a sustainable herbal tea product from teak and pandan leaves (HTP) by systematically comparing two distinct drying methods: hot air drying and greenhouse solar drying. Product quality, economic feasibility, and environmental carbon emissions were comprehensively evaluated. Specifically, the physicochemical properties, total phenolic content, and radical scavenging activity of the dried HTP powder were thoroughly assessed. The experimental results demonstrated that hot air drying preserved the highest total phenol content among the evaluated methods. An extensive economic analysis considered key financial parameters, including production costs (comprising labor, raw materials, and operational expenses), asset depreciation, initial capital investment, and projected revenue, using net present value (NPV) and payback period (PBP) as the primary indicators. While both drying systems proved to be economically efficient by yielding substantial NPV figures and relatively short PBPs, greenhouse solar drying exhibited vastly superior overall economic performance. Specifically, greenhouse solar drying reduced carbon emissions by 7.1832 kg CO₂ eq/kg and yielded between two and four times the NPV of hot air drying. Furthermore, the PBP was shortened by approximately five to fifteen months, while break-even points indicated that lower production volumes were sufficient to offset all total costs. Consequently, greenhouse solar drying offers an eco-friendly and economically advantageous approach to herbal tea production by effectively reducing environmental impact, eliminating electricity costs, and enhancing both production capacity and overall profitability. Ultimately, this processing method represents a highly sustainable processing strategy for organic farming community enterprises.

Keywords

organic farming / herbal tea / total phenolic content / hot air drying / greenhouse solar drying / economic analysis / greenhouse gas / sustainability

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