Pre-oxidation drying of Cyclopia plant material to eliminate a bottleneck in conventional manufacture of traditional honeybush tea – impact on infusion quality

•Pre-oxidation drying did not affect aroma and flavour of honeybush tea infusions.•Pre-oxidation drying of C. genistoides produced slightly more bitter infusions.•Pre-oxidation drying decreased turbidity of infusions.•Pre-oxidation drying had little practical impact on infusion colour.•Pre-oxidation drying affected individual phenolic compounds differently.