Production, postharvest and processing of the yerba mate: a review on technological advances and quality from raw material to the final product

Yerba mate plays an important socio-economic role in the subtropical and temperate regions of South America, where it is cultivated and used to make chimarr & atilde;o and terer & eacute;, as well as in the pharmaceutical and food industries. The various cultivation and management conditions, such as climate, soil, plant age, planting and harvesting times, cultivation location, and harvesting and processing methods, should be investigated in more detail, since each of these stages influences the physical characteristics like texture and colour, as well as the physicochemical properties like flavour and aroma, resulting in varying acceptability by consumers. Yerba mate producers and processing industries are characterised by being small and medium-sized. Studies reveal the need to value yerba mate through geographical indication, implying a quality link primarily attributed to the producing regions, aiding in the sustainability of the yerba mate production chain. In addition, there is a need to establish assessment methods and qualitative attribute standards to characterise the raw material and the processed yerba mate.