Abstract

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is both a nutritional vegetable and a medicinal herb that supports diabetes treatment and strengthens the body’s immunity. This study aimed to preliminarily evaluate the bioactive compounds and shelf life of fresh leaves and stems of a cultivar bred in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as to develop a processing method for producing bitter melon tea. The results showed that leaves and stems harvested 35 days after planting had a moisture content of 89.03 ± 0.22%, total dissolved solids of 6.00 ± 0.05^obrix, polyphenol content of 17.70 ± 0.19 mg GAE/g, charantin content of 0.87 ± 0.01 mg/g and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 4.43 ± 0.03 mg/ml. Cold storage of the raw materials at 20 ± 2^oC and 80 ± 5% relative humidity for 16 hours, with a tray load of 7.5 kg, effectively minimized losses in weight, total dissolved solids, and polyphenol content. Freeze-drying bitter melon leaves and stems at 30^oC with a material density of 1.5 kg/m² produced a tea product with moisture content of 8 ± 2%, polyphenol content of 10.01 ± 0.02 mg GAE/g and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 1.57 ± 0.02 mg/ml. The resulting product meets the quality standards for processed medicinal herbs and shows potential for large-scale tea production.