Elderberry Extract Powder

Ripe black berries of Sambucus nigra L., the European elder, are extracted in water, concentrated and dried to give elderberry extract powder. The powder is a deep purple red. Flowers, leaves and bark of the shrub are separate materials and are not part of this extract.

The product is a 10:1 ratio extract of the fruit with no anthocyanin percentage on the label, milled to 80 mesh and water dispersible. An anthocyanin-graded extract, a juice powder and a freeze-dried powder of the same berry are separate products.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0010 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Elderberry, Fruit & Berry, Gummies & Chews, Plant Extracts, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Elderberry Fruit Identity & Plant Part

The species is Sambucus nigra L., which current classification places in the family Viburnaceae, earlier grouped with the honeysuckles. The part used is the ripe berry. Several relatives share the name. American elder, Sambucus canadensis, is a close New World relative, and dwarf elder, Sambucus ebulus, is a different plant that is not a food crop. The flower of Sambucus nigra is a distinct ingredient with a pale, flavonol-led profile, so berry and flower extracts are not interchangeable. The color of elderberry extract comes from anthocyanins, mainly cyanidin glycosides built on the sambubiose sugar, with organic acids and sugars alongside. Raw berries and other green parts of the shrub contain cyanogenic compounds that heat reduces, which is why the berries are processed and cooked in normal practice and never used as a raw ingredient.

Elderberry Extract vs Powder & Standardized Grades

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Fruit Extract	Water-extracted, concentrated and dried elderberry	A dispersible berry extract is wanted without a marker figure
Elderberry Powder	Spray-dried elderberry juice on a carrier	A soluble berry color and flavor for drinks is the aim
Elderberry Extract 5–25% Anthocyanins	Berry extract carrying a pH-differential anthocyanin grade	An anthocyanin figure must appear in the specification
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract Powder	Extract of the flower of the same shrub	The flower, not the berry, is the required part

The 10:1 figure describes the starting material: it states how much fruit went into each part of extract, and it states nothing about anthocyanin content. Two elderberry extracts at the same ratio can differ in color depth, because harvest ripeness and variety change the pigment level before extraction begins. A ratio extract suits formulas that want berry color and flavor character without a marker claim. A graded extract is the step up when an anthocyanin number has to appear on the label.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Sambucus nigra
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Elderberry, European Black Elder
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Purple Red powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Dispersible
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Particle Size	80 mesh
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Application Areas

Gummies and Chews

Elderberry extract gives gummies a deep purple red without added color. Add the powder after the cook, because prolonged heat browns the anthocyanins, and keep the mass acidic with citric acid so the shade stays red-purple and not blue-grey.

Capsules and Tablets

The dispersible elderberry powder fills capsules at a smaller weight than dried berry. It draws moisture from the air, so a dry room and a desiccant in the bottle keep the fill flowing, and a film coat holds the color on a tablet.

Drink Powder Sticks

Sticks use elderberry extract in berry-style drink mixes, where the color is part of the appeal. The extract disperses and leaves a slightly cloudy purple liquid, and it pairs with citrus acids, apple powder and sweeteners that sharpen the tart berry taste.

Syrups and Drops Premixes

Dry premixes for reconstituted syrups use elderberry extract for color and tart flavor. Dissolve it in warm water first, strain if clarity matters, and check the pH of the finished liquid, because a neutral syrup shifts the pigment from red toward violet.

Formulation Notes

The powder is purple red with a tart, winey berry aroma and a slightly astringent taste. In water it gives a deep, cloudy red-purple dispersion. Anthocyanins are pH indicators: they are red in acid, purple near neutral and blue-grey to colorless in alkali, so the shade of elderberry extract depends on the base it is mixed into.

Heat, light and oxygen fade the pigment, and iron or copper contact turns it dull blue. Use stainless steel, add the extract late in warm steps and fill drinks in opaque packaging. Sugar-rich water extracts attract moisture, so keep the liner closed after opening and store the powder away from humidity. Pre-blend small inclusions with a dry carrier for even color, and compare each lot with a retained sample. In clear bottled drinks, filter a trial batch first, since the dispersion leaves a fine haze and a slow sediment of insoluble berry material.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.