Vigna angularis Identity & Plant Part
The botanical entity is Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & H.Ohashi, family Fabaceae. The part used in this adzuki bean extract is the seed; pods, leaves and sprouts are not part of the product. Names in trade include adzuki, azuki and red bean, and the Chinese term chi xiao dou is applied to adzuki and to the related rice bean Vigna umbellata.
“Red bean” is not specific. It also names kidney-type beans of Phaseolus and other legumes, so the botanical name is the identifier. The seed is rich in starch and protein, with polyphenols concentrated in the seed coat, and these distinguish a water extract from a whole-bean flour. In every adzuki extract, the seed and the species name are what define the ingredient, and the common name red bean does not. Adzuki bean extract is a seed-based ingredient, so a specification should name the seed and the species Vigna angularis, not only the name red bean.












