Senna is processed by picking the leaf, drying it in shade, cleaning out stalk and grit, then cutting or milling it to the size the buyer needs. Pods are dried on the plant and threshed. Nothing is chemically altered. The grade is decided by how well it is cleaned and how precisely it is cut.
Picking
Buyers asking how senna is processed are usually trying to work out where the quality difference between two quotes comes from. It is mostly here and in the cleaning step, before the material ever reaches a mill.
Leaf is picked by hand, several times from the same planting, starting roughly two to three months after sowing. Early pickings generally give the better leaf.
Pods follow a different path. They are left to dry on the plant after flowering and harvested once papery, then threshed to separate pod from stem and chaff.
Because leaf is picked repeatedly rather than cut once, senna arrives at the drying yard in batches through the season rather than all at once, and batch to batch variation is a real thing that has to be managed by blending and testing rather than assumed away.
Drying
Leaf is spread in shade until brittle. Shade matters for the same reason it matters with henna: sun degrades the material and costs colour.
Green is the marker. Good dried senna leaf stays a clear green. Leaf that has yellowed or browned has usually been dried in the sun, dried too slowly in humid weather, or held too long, and it commonly tests weaker.
Moisture has to come down far enough to prevent mould in storage without over drying to the point where leaf shatters into unusable dust.
Cleaning
This is where most of the quality difference is made, and it is the least glamorous step.
Stalk is separated from leaf. Stalk carries far less of the active compound, so every kilo left in dilutes the lot. It is also free bulk, which makes leaving it in the easiest way to make a cheap price work.
Then sand, grit and field debris come out. Senna grows in dry, dusty districts and mineral matter arrives with the crop whether anyone wants it or not. Foreign matter limits in a specification exist for exactly this reason.
| Removed | Why | If left in |
|---|---|---|
| Stalk and stem | Low in active compound | Weaker lot, fails foreign matter |
| Sand and grit | Mineral contamination | Fails ash limits |
| Discoloured leaf | Sun or heat damaged | Lower strength, poor appearance |
| Dust and fines | Passes through tea bags | Rejected by tea packers |
Cutting and milling
Cleaned leaf is then sized, and this is the step that has to match the customer’s equipment rather than a general idea of quality.
Whole leaf is left intact for buyers who want visible provenance. Fine cut is sized for tea bags, where the particle has to be small enough to infuse quickly but large enough not to pass through the paper. Coarse cut suits loose tea and infusers, where visible leaf is part of the product. Powder goes to capsule and tablet manufacturers who dose by weight.
Getting this wrong is one of the more expensive mistakes in the category, because the material is not defective, it simply will not run. A tea packer whose line is set for one cut cannot use another without stopping and re-setting.
Pods are sold whole or broken, and broken pods are the usual choice for extract work where surface area helps.
Testing
Every lot is tested before it ships. Strength is confirmed by laboratory analysis on that lot rather than quoted as a general figure, because it genuinely varies with picking, season and handling.
Moisture is checked for shelf life. Foreign matter is checked against the specification. Heavy metals, pesticide residue and microbial limits are tested to the destination market’s requirement, which differs between the EU, the US and Gulf importers.
Pharmaceutical buyers need material meeting recognised pharmacopoeia standards, and the documentation package that goes with that is materially heavier than what a tea brand needs.
Packing and shipping
Bulk senna goes into lined bags or fibre drums depending on the form and the destination. Powder needs a tighter barrier than whole leaf because it picks up moisture faster.
Kept dry and sealed, senna holds for around two years. Shipping is by sea for anything at volume, with air freight generally reserved for samples and urgent top ups.
What separates a good lot from an average one
Early picking. Shade dried and still green. Cleaned hard so stalk and grit are genuinely out rather than mostly out. Cut accurately to the size ordered. Tested per lot rather than per shipment. Packed to keep moisture out.
Every one of those is a place where cost can be taken out at the expense of the finished material, which is why two quotes for the same product can differ so much and both be honest about what they are.
Sourcing processed senna
We are a senna leaves manufacturer and exporter, processing Tinnevelly senna in our own facility rather than buying finished material. Whole leaf, fine cut, coarse cut and powder, plus senna pods whole and broken.
Minimum order is 100 kg. GMP, FSSAI, APEDA and Halal certified, pharmacopoeia grade available where your registration requires it, Certificate of Analysis on every lot. Free sample before you order, quote back within 24 hours, shipped from Mundra.
Specifications, for buyers who order to a number
Order on strength, cut size, moisture and foreign matter, with heavy metals, pesticide residue and microbial limits set to your destination market. All confirmed on the Certificate of Analysis for your lot. Send us the cut specification your line runs to and we will confirm we can hold it before you order.
Frequently asked questions
How is senna processed after harvest?
Leaf is picked by hand, shade dried until brittle, cleaned of stalk and grit, then cut or milled to the size ordered. Pods dry on the plant and are threshed. Nothing is chemically altered.
Why is senna dried in shade rather than sun?
Sun degrades the leaf, costing colour and usually strength. Shade dried senna stays green, and green is the first thing an experienced buyer checks on arrival.
What does cleaning remove from senna?
Stalk, sand, grit, discoloured leaf and dust. Stalk matters most because it carries far less of the active compound, so a poorly cleaned lot is diluted before it reaches the mill.
What cut sizes does senna come in?
Whole leaf, fine cut for tea bags, coarse cut for loose tea and infusers, and powder for capsules and tablets. The right cut is the one that suits your equipment.
How long does processed senna keep?
About two years kept dry and sealed. Powder needs a tighter moisture barrier than whole leaf because it takes up moisture more readily.
Specs change with the crop, the season and the grade. Ask our export desk for a current lab report, the minimum order and a price to your port, and we will come back within 24 hours.