Ukuvuna Nokucubungula i-Rooibos — Izintaba zaseCederberg, eNtshona Koloni

I-rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) ayisiyona itiye — iyisihlahla esincane somndeni wezimbali i-Fabaceae (umndeni wezimbali zamahlumela). Ikhula kuphela esifundeni saseCederberg eNtshona Koloni yaseNingizimu Afrika, lapho umhlabathi ongumhlabathisane onobuso (pH 3.5-5.0) nezi zulu ezingu-250-600mm ngonyaka zidala izimo ezifanele. Isitshalo sifinyelela ubude obungu-1-2m futhi siphila iminyaka engu-5-8 yokuvuna. Amahlamvu ayo amancane anjengezinaliti, angaba ngu-10-40mm ubude. I-rooibos inekhemikhali i-aspalathin, umvimbeli wokuvuvukala ongekho kwezinye izitshalo emhlabeni.

Isikhathi sokuvuna siqala ngoMasingana (uJanuwari) kuya kuNdasa (uMashi) — ihlobo laseNingizimu ye-hemisphere. Izitshalo zilungele ukuvunwa uma amagatsha amasha esekhule ngokwanele futhi amahlamvu esenamanzi amahle. Isitshalo kufanele sibe nobudala obungu-18 izinyanga okungenani ngaphambi kokuvuna kokuqala. Amahlamvu kufanele abe luhlaza okumnyama, ahlanganiswe ngokuqinile egatsheni. Uma umhlaba usomile kakhulu ngenxa yesomiso, linda uze uthole imvula ngaphambi kokuvuna — ukuvuna phakathi nesomiso kubulala isitshalo.

Sika amagatsha e-rooibos ngesikela ebukhali, ugcine cishe ngu-30cm ngaphezu komhlabathi. Lokhu kumqoka kakhulu — ukusika ngaphansi kwalokhu kubulala isitshalo ngoba akukwazi ukuphinde kumile. Isitshalo esiphilile sizokhiqiza amagatsha amasha kusuka ezicutshaneni ezisele futhi silungele ukuvunwa kabusha emva kwezinyanga ezingu-6-8. Qoqa amagatsha awahlanganise ayizinyanda ukuze kulula ukuwathwala. Inyanda ngayinye kufanele ibe ngu-5-8kg.

Thwala izinyanda zamagatsha uziyise endaweni yokusika — indawo eqondile enomthunzi ecishe ibe seduze nenkundla yokomisa. Amagatsha kufanele acutshungulwe ngosuku olufanayo lokuvuna. Ukubambezeleka kudala ukubola nokumila kwesikhunta esenza i-rooibos ibe nombala omnyama nensizi engemnandi. Beka izinyanda phezu kwepulangwe noma i-tarpaulin, ungabeki ngqo emhlabathini ukugwema ukungcola.

Sika amagatsha e-rooibos abe yizicucu ezincane ezingu-3-5mm ubude ngomshini wokusika noma ngesikela. Ukubukhulu balezi zicucu kumqoka — izicucu ezinkulu ngokweqile azikwazi ukuvuvukalisa kahle, kuthi ezincane ngokweqile zibe uthuli. Umshini wokusika unamasongo abukhali aphendula ngesivinini esingu-1,500-3,000 rpm. Uma usika ngesandla, sika ube nesiqiniseko sokuthi zonke izicucu zilingana ngobukhulu. Amahlamvu nezingxenyana zamahlamvu kufanele zihlanganiswe namagatsha asikiwe.

Izicucu ezisikiwe kufanele zikhuhliwe (bruised) ukuze kuqale inqubo yokuvuvukala (oxidation). Misa izicucu ngemishini yokugaya noma uzikhuhle ngezandla — lokhu kuphula amaseli emahlamvini, kukhulula ama-enzyme kanye nama-polyphenol azidingayo ukuze kuqale ukuvuvukala. Ungaboni uma izicucu ziqala ukuba manzi futhi zikhipha iphunga elimnandi, elibukhazikhazi. Leli gxathu linquma insimbi yombala nesithombe se-rooibos yokugcina.

Beka izicucu ezikhuhliwe zibe yinqwaba endaweni epholile engaphakathi, ngobude obungu-20-30cm. Fafaza amanzi amancanyana ukugcina umswakama — izicucu kufanele zibe manzi kodwa zingaminzi. Vala inqwaba nge-tarpaulin ukuze ugcine ukushisa nokuswakama. Inqubo yokuvuvukala (i-fermentation) ithatha amahora angu-8-12. Phakathi nalesi sikhathi, ama-polyphenol emahlamvini avuvukala ngenxa yama-enzyme, aguqula umbala usuka oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka uya kubomvu-nsundu — umbala wesiqobo we-rooibos. Ukushisa kwinqwaba kunyuka kufinyelele ku-38-42°C. Uma kushisa ngaphezu kuka-50°C, vula i-tarpaulin ukuze upholise.

Emva kwamahora angu-8-12 okuvuvukala, yendlala izicucu ze-rooibos enkundleni yokomisa ngokulinganayo. Inkundla yokomisa indawo eyenziwe ngokhonkolo noma itshe lesamente eqondile, ephakeme emhlabathini. Yendlala izicucu zibe wucezu oluncane — ubude obungaphansi kuka-5cm. Sebenzisa ihhala ukuze uzisabalalise ngokulinganayo. I-rooibos kufanele ibhekane nelanga ngqo. Phendula izicucu njalo emva kwamahora angu-2-3 ukuze zicome ngokulinganayo. Inqubo yokomisa ithatha amahora angu-1-3 elangeni laseNingizimu Afrika ehlobo.

I-rooibos ekomile kufanele ibe nomswakama ongaphansi kuka-10%. Hlola ukoma ngokuthatha isandla esigcwele se-rooibos usigxobe — kufanele siphuke ngomsindo oqinile, singaguqi noma singanyakazi. Uma sisaguqa, kusafanele ikome isikhathi esidana. Umbala kufanele ube bomvu-nsundu ngokulinganayo, engathi umbala wekhobha le-sinamoni. Izicucu eziluhlaza noma ezimhlophe zibonisa ukuthi ukuvuvukala bekungaphelele. Iphunga kufanele libe mnandi, linokulungiselela — phakathi kwenyama nekhobha.

Dlulisa i-rooibos ekomile ezihluzisweni eziningi ukuze uhlukanise izicucu ngobungako futhi ususe izinto zangaphandle (amatshe amancane, izingcezu zokhuni olungasikekanga kahle, izinambuzane). Isihluzo sokuqala (isihlungi esinezimbobo ezingu-5mm) sisusa izingcezu ezinkulu. Isihluzo sesibili (2mm) sihlukanisa i-rooibos yesigaba esiphezulu. Isihluzo sesithathu (1mm) sibutha uthuli olufayini. Uthuli lwamazinga aphansi lungathengiswa njenge-rooibos yokugaya noma lusetshenziswe ekwenzeni umhlanganiso wetiye.

I-rooibos ehlungiwe ihlanzwa nge-steam (pasteurization) ukuze kubulale amagciwane kanye ne-mould. Dlulisa i-rooibos endaweni ye-steam eku-100°C amasekhondi angu-30-60. Lokhu kwanele ukubulala ama-coliform kanye ne-Salmonella ngaphandle kokuguqula insimbi yephunga. Emva kokuhlanzwa nge-steam, komisa kabusha i-rooibos ize umswakama ube ngaphansi kuka-8% ukuze ugweme ukumila kwesikhunta phakathi kokugcinwa. Leli gxathu lifuneka ukuze i-rooibos ihlangabezane nemigomo yokuphepha kokudla yaseNingizimu Afrika kanye neyamazwe aphesheya.

I-rooibos ihlelwa ngezigaba ngobukhulu nesimo. Isigaba esiphezulu (Super Grade) sinezicucu ezinhle, ezibomvu-nsundu, ezinobude obulinganayo noma ngobukhulu — lesi sigaba sithengiswa njenge-loose leaf tea. Izigaba eziphansi zisetshenziswa emabhokisini etiye (tea bags). Izilinganiso ze-rooibos ehlungiwe: uthuli olufinayo ongaphansi kuka-4%, umswakama ongaphansi kuka-8%, ama-coliforms angaphansi kuka-10 CFU/g. Pakisha i-rooibos ezikhwameni ze-kraft paper ezine-foil polyethylene ngaphakathi ukuze ivikele umswakama, ukukhanya, nokuphefumula. Gcina endaweni epholile, eyomile. I-rooibos epakishiwe kahle igcineka iminyaka engu-2-3 ngaphandle kokulahlekelwa izinga.