profile of personnel
Agricultural Research Council (ARC)

Dr Elizabeth Joubert
Citizenship: SA
Qualification: PhD

Experience
Lizette Joubert, specialist scientist of the ARC, obtained her PhD (Food Science) in 1994 from the University of Stellenbosch with a study on controlled processing of rooibos tea as alternative to the traditional method. Since then she is responsible for co-ordination and management of several multi-institutional research projects relating to antioxidant and compositional studies on rooibos and honeybush teas, amongst others. Her current main research interests are (i) the utilisation of indigenous plants for production of functional foods and nutraceuticals through exploitation of their health-promoting properties and (ii) antioxidant activity of plant constituents. She was also responsible for the development of a standardized processing method for honeybush tea, resulting in improved product quality suitable for foreign markets. In collaboration with industry she developed technology for manufacture of “green” rooibos and honeybush teas with enhanced antioxidant and antimutagenic activity and cold water soluble instant rooibos tea. She is the recipient of the 1999 ARC COUNCIL AWARD for exceptional contribution towards the ARC, Agriculture and Agricultural industry and the 1999 ARC EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT AWARD for an outstanding achievement as member of a multidisciplinary team on Honeybush Tea Research.

Contribution to project
Collection and preparation of plant material extraction and laboratory-scale fractionation; analytical technique for and quantification of active compound(s)