Butcher’s Broom Extract Powder

The rhizome of Ruscus aculeatus, the spiny evergreen subshrub known as butcher’s broom, is the only plant part behind this extract. The rhizome is extracted in water, concentrated and dried to a light brown powder. The stiff, leaf-like shoots and the red berries are not used.

This butcher’s broom extract is a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker assay and no ruscogenin figure. The powder is milled to 80 mesh and disperses in water. A ruscogenin-standardized extract of the same rhizome is a separate product.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0236 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Bars & Bakery, Dry Blends & Premixes, Plant Extracts, Root & Rhizome, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Ruscus aculeatus Rhizome Source & Identity

The botanical entity is Ruscus aculeatus L., a low evergreen shrub of the asparagus family, Asparagaceae, from woodlands of the Mediterranean and western Europe. The part used is the rhizome, together with its attached roots. The flattened green shoots, which look like leaves but are modified stems called cladodes, and the bright red berries are not part of this butcher’s broom extract.

Similar spiny plants cause mix-ups. Ruscus hypoglossum and Ruscus hypophyllum are related species with softer shoots, and Danae racemosa, the Alexandrian laurel, is a look-alike from another genus. The spiny tip of the cladode identifies R. aculeatus.

Steroidal saponins, mainly ruscogenin and neoruscogenin in their glycoside forms, are the characteristic constituent family of the rhizome.

Butcher’s Broom Extract vs Standardized Grade

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Butcher’s Broom Extract	Water extract of the rhizome, ratio-defined	A whole-rhizome profile without a marker figure is needed
Butcher’s Broom Extract 9% Ruscogenins	Standardized extract of the same rhizome with a defined ruscogenin content	The specification names a ruscogenin figure

It is not a ruscogenin assay. Saponins in the rhizome occur mainly as glycosides, while the standardized grade is expressed as the aglycone ruscogenins, so the two are not measured on the same basis.

The two rows are two specification bases. The ratio extract fixes species, part and solvent and keeps the soluble saponin glycosides together with the other water-soluble matter. The standardized extract is built around its declared figure.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Ruscus aculeatus
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Butcher’s Broom, Box Holly
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Light Brown 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 a Saponin-Bearing Extract

Butcher’s broom extract fills hard capsules after a flow check at 80 mesh. Saponin-bearing rhizome extracts take up moisture, so fill in a controlled-humidity room and keep the hopper covered. A pinch of glidant restores flow if the powder arches over the outlet.

Tablets with Moisture Barrier

Pressing butcher’s broom extract works with a dry binder and a late lubricant. Compare hardness at pressing and after a week of storage, since a saponin-bearing extract softens as it absorbs water, and choose a film coat that doubles as a moisture barrier for the light brown core.

Foaming Drink Sticks

Steroidal saponins foam when stirred, so a stick for water or tea builds a head of foam in the cup. Test foam height and clarity at the planned dose with butcher’s broom extract, and prefer an opaque or tinted base to hide the slight haze.

Single-Serve Sachets

In sachets the powder rides in a sugar or fibre carrier. Sieve butcher’s broom extract into the carrier before the mixer to spread the tan tone evenly, and run a dose-uniformity check at the start, middle and end of the filling run.

Bar Premixes

The bar takes the extract folded into its dry base. The bitter-leaning rhizome note is easiest to place in cocoa, ginger or date bars, and a taste trial after a week shows how it develops with age.

Formulation Notes

Butcher’s broom extract is a light brown powder with a mild, earthy smell and a bitter taste. In water it forms a tan dispersion with some haze, and the saponin fraction foams when the liquid is shaken. The colour is gentle, so it blends into most beverage bases.

Because the foam comes from the saponins themselves, an antifoam is a late resort. Deaeration and filling go better when the powder is added below the liquid level and the batch is stirred slowly. A rested sample shows the true haze, since fine particles settle only after several minutes.

For dry blends, hand-sieve the extract into a portion of the carrier and let the mixer finish. Once opened, the drum should be resealed with the air pressed out and kept off damp floors, away from steam and heat, because saponin-bearing powders pick up moisture and cake.

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.