Black Ginger Extract Powder

Black ginger is the rhizome of Kaempferia parviflora, a Thai plant unrelated to common cooking ginger, and that rhizome is the raw material for this black ginger extract. Ethanol extraction concentrates the rhizome fraction, and the liquor is dried to a brown powder.

The product is a 10:1 ratio extract, with no methoxyflavone percentage attached. It is water dispersible and milled to 80 mesh. A standardized extract of the same rhizome is a separate product, and its marker is described in that product’s own specification.

Kaempferia parviflora Identity & Plant Part

The botanical entity is Kaempferia parviflora Wall. ex Baker, a small ginger-family plant (Zingiberaceae) native to Thailand. Common names include black ginger, Thai black ginger, Thai ginseng and krachai dum. The part used is the rhizome, a dark purple to nearly black underground stem. Leaves, flowers and roots are not part of this black ginger extract.

The English name misleads buyers. Black ginger is not Zingiber officinale, the culinary ginger, and it is not a Curcuma species such as turmeric. Even inside its own genus it is not Kaempferia galanga, the aromatic ginger, whose rhizome oil is led by ethyl p-methoxycinnamate.

Black Ginger Extract vs Standardized Grade

FormWhat It IsChoose It When
10:1 Rhizome ExtractEthanol-extracted, concentrated and dried K. parviflora rhizomeA rhizome extract without a marker claim is wanted
Black Ginger Extract 10% Total MethoxyflavonesStandardized extract with a defined methoxyflavone contentThe specification names a methoxyflavone figure

The 10:1 figure expresses how much starting rhizome was concentrated into the powder. It is independent of the methoxyflavone level, so a ratio extract tells a buyer about concentration and nothing about the marker.

Use the ratio extract for early formulation work, where black ginger identity, color and handling matter more than a labelled marker. Where a methoxyflavone content has to appear on the label, the standardized extract is the correct specification. The rhizome is the same in both, and only the definition of the powder changes.

Typical Specifications

Specification ItemProduct Information
Latin NameKaempferia parviflora
Plant PartRoot & Rhizome
ProcessingEthanol Extraction
Common NameBlack Ginger, Thai Black Ginger
Ingredient TypeRatio Extract
Extract Ratio10:1
AppearanceBrown powder
Solubility / DispersibilityWater Dispersible
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)≤5.0%
Total Ash≤5.0%
Particle Size80 mesh
Heavy MetalsLead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
MicrobiologyTPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

Application Areas

Opaque Capsules for Dark Fills

The dark brown extract shows through clear shells, so opaque capsules are the usual choice. Run a flow check on the lot before filling, and use a glidant if the powder bridges in the hopper. Because the flavone fraction is only sparingly water soluble, a disintegration check on the finished capsule belongs in the release routine.

Coated Tablets with a Brown Tint

In tablets, a film coat covers both the brown color and the lightly pungent taste of the rhizome. A dry binder and a disintegration test after coating keep the compact consistent from lot to lot. A tinted opaque coat also hides small shade differences between lots.

Cocoa and Coffee-Style Drink Powders

Ready-to-mix drink powders use black ginger extract for a ginger-style spice note with an earthy edge. The dark brown color reads as natural in cocoa, coffee and tea-style bases but looks muddy in pale ones. A little sweetener helps, since the pungent bitterness is stronger in plain water.

Root-Extract Blend Sachets

Sachets pair black ginger with ginseng, maca or rhodiola-type extracts. Screening the dark powder first avoids visible flecks in lighter blends, and matching particle size keeps each sachet uniform. Comparing the color of samples taken from the start, middle and end of a filling run shows whether the dark powder is spread evenly.

Formulation Notes

The powder is brown with a warm, spicy and earthy aroma and a lightly pungent, bitter taste. Both are stronger in plain water than in flavored bases, so taste the extract in the finished drink before fixing a dose. In water it disperses to a brown, slightly cloudy liquid, because the polymethoxyflavone fraction is only sparingly water soluble.

Wet the powder with a small amount of liquid before dilution so that it does not float. In dry blends, premix it with part of the filler and screen it, since streaks and dark specks show quickly against pale ingredients.

Close the container promptly after each scoop and keep it out of strong light. The brown shade can drift slowly with air exposure, so compare an opened lot with a retained sample of the original shade before it goes into a pale blend.

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 ItemGeneral Information
SampleAvailable upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead TimeTypically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead TimeTypically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
PackagingSuitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
StorageStore 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.
DocumentationCOA · 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.

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