Bearberry Leaf Extract Powder

Bearberry leaf, the leathery evergreen leaf of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, a low shrub of cool northern heaths and rocky ground, is the only plant material behind this extract. The leaves are extracted in water, concentrated and dried to a green powder. Berries, stems and roots of the shrub are not used.

This bearberry leaf extract is a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker assay and no arbutin percentage. The powder is milled to 80 mesh and disperses in water. A standardized arbutin extract and pure arbutin of the same plant family are listed as separate products, with the differences set out in the comparison below.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0202 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Bars & Bakery, Leaf & Herb, Plant Extracts, Uva Ursi, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Leaf Source & Identity

The botanical entity is Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng., a low, mat-forming evergreen shrub of the heather family, Ericaceae, found across cool northern regions of Europe, Asia and North America. The part used is the leaf, which is thick, leathery and net-veined. Berries, twigs and roots are not part of this bearberry leaf extract.

Lingonberry leaf, from Vaccinium vitis-idaea, is the classic look-alike. Lingonberry leaves carry small dark glands on the underside and have a toothed or rolled margin, while bearberry leaves are smooth-edged and finely net-veined. The Latin name is the safest way to tell the two apart on a specification.

Hydroquinone glycosides such as arbutin, tannins and flavonoids are the characteristic constituent families of the leaf.

Bearberry Extract vs Arbutin Grades

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Bearberry Leaf Extract	Water extract of the leaf, ratio-defined	A whole-leaf extract profile without a marker figure is needed
Uva Ursi / Bearberry Extract 20–40% Arbutin	Standardized extract of the same leaf with a defined arbutin range	The specification names an arbutin figure
Arbutin	Single-compound grade, pure arbutin	The brief names arbutin as the ingredient

The 10:1 ratio measures leaf going into the extract. It is not an arbutin assay. Three different specification bases are listed above: a ratio extract defined by plant and solvent, a standardized extract built around arbutin, and the isolated compound.

A leaf extract also carries the tannins of the leaf, so its taste and behaviour differ from those of a purified arbutin product even when the botanical source is the same.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Plant Part	Leaf & Herb
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Bearberry, Uva Ursi
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Green 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

Capsules for Tannin-Rich Leaf Extracts

Bearberry leaf extract fills hard capsules after a flow check at 80 mesh. Tannin-rich leaf extracts taste dry and astringent, which a capsule shell keeps out of the mouth. Use plain or vegetable capsules and avoid iron-containing excipients, since tannins react with iron salts.

Tablets with Neutral Fillers

For tablets, choose neutral fillers and a dry binder, because tannins darken in the presence of iron and alkaline salts. Compare tablet colour and hardness at pressing and after a week of storage. A film coat hides the green-brown core and slows moisture pickup.

Tea-Style Instant Sticks

Bearberry leaf is a traditional tea-type material, so the extract suits tea-style sticks. It disperses in hot water to a green-brown cup with some haze. Mint, citrus or spice flavours help to offset the dry, astringent finish.

Dry-Blended Drink Powders

Blend the extract into drink powders by sieving it into a sugar or fibre carrier first. Bearberry leaf extract gives a clear green-brown tint to pale bases, so test colour in the actual drink at the planned dose.

Bar Premixes

The powder goes into the dry fraction of a bar recipe ahead of the binder. Cocoa, caramel or dried-fruit bases suit the green-brown colour, and the astringency fades once the powder is bound in syrup. Avoid iron-fortified protein bases, which can darken the bar over time.

Formulation Notes

Bearberry leaf extract is a green powder with a faint tea-like aroma and a dry, astringent taste. In water it forms a green-brown dispersion with some haze. Tannins bind to proteins and to metal ions, so milk, soy or iron-fortified bases can cause cloudiness, precipitation or darkening that a pilot trial will expose.

Lump-free dispersion needs agitation during addition, or a small-volume wetting step beforehand. Sieving the powder into the carrier first gives an even dry blend from the first sachet to the last. For bearberry leaf, reseal the inner liner after every use and keep the opened drum away from steam, heat and wet areas.

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.