Clove Extract 2–4% Volatile Oil

The dried flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum, the clove, is the only part used in this extract, and the leaf, stem and fruit are excluded. Ethanol extraction takes up the phenolic compounds of the bud together with part of its aromatic oil, and the concentrate is dried to a light brown powder.

Volatile oil is the standardization basis, with a primary grade of 4% and a lower grade of 2%, and no named assay method is attached to the grade. The powder is 80 mesh and insoluble in water. The 4% grade fits capsules and tablets, while the 2% grade fits blends in which the bud matrix is wanted.

SKU: BOT-STX-0128 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Clove, Ethanol Extracted, Flower, Polyphenols, Seasonings & Sauces, Standardized Extracts

Volatile Oil Standardization & Grades

The volatile oil of clove is dominated by eugenol, a phenylpropanoid that typically forms most of the oil, with eugenyl acetate and beta-caryophyllene as the next main constituents. The botanical entity is Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry, and the extract is standardized to the volatile oil because the oil carries the aroma and much of the activity of the bud, while the non-volatile tannins and flavonoids make up the rest of the powder.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
2% Volatile Oil	Class figure, no named method	Dry blends, higher inclusion
4% Volatile Oil	Class figure, no named method	Capsules and tablets

Grade choice follows aroma intensity and fill weight. The 4% grade carries twice the oil load of the 2% grade per gram and gives a stronger, spicier powder, while the 2% grade is milder and easier to blend dry. Clove is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker figure, the Clove Extract Powder, and as milled buds, the Clove Bud Powder. The data also records a defined eugenol marker option, which is not published as a separate grade here. The standardized extract is the row to use when an oil figure has to appear in the specification.

Volatile Oil Analysis & Purity Risks

Volatile oil is a class figure obtained by distilling the material with water and measuring the oil collected in a graduated receiver, the usual pharmacopoeial approach to essential oil content. The result is expressed per unit of material, and it depends on distillation time and apparatus. Because the grade carries no named method, the figure is read as the oil content determined by the procedure accompanying the lot, and it cannot be converted into a eugenol value from HPLC or GC.

For identity, a GC profile of the oil is read beside the content figure. Eugenol, eugenyl acetate and beta-caryophyllene form a pattern that is characteristic of clove bud, and the ratio between them shows whether the material is bud or a lower-grade fraction. Gas chromatography with flame ionization or mass detection is the standard way to read it.

Purity risks follow from the botanical group. Clove bud, clove leaf and clove stem give oils of different composition, and leaf and stem are cheaper fractions with a higher eugenol share and little eugenyl acetate. The stated part is therefore part of the identity. Cassia bark and cinnamon leaf oils are also eugenol-rich and have been used to stand in for clove material.

Handling in the laboratory needs care because the oil is volatile and a powder that has stood open loses part of it. Samples are weighed promptly, sealed and kept cool, and the content figure of a long-stored lot is lower than its release value.

Processing history changes how much oil a clove extract can hold. The oil sits in glands just below the surface of the bud, and milling frees it, so a coarse grind loses less oil before extraction than a very fine one. Ethanol extraction at moderate temperature and low-temperature drying retain more of it than hot air drying, and any step that opens the powder to air for long periods strips volatile oil. The content figure at release is therefore a statement about the powder as it was at that moment.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Syzygium aromaticum
Plant Part	Flower
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Common Name	Clove, Clove Bud
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Volatile oil (eugenol-dominant)
Primary Grade	4% Volatile Oil
Available Grades	2% · 4% Volatile Oil
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Insoluble in Water
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

Applications by Grade

4% Grade for Capsule Fills

The 4% grade of clove extract reaches an oil target in a modest fill, which suits two-piece capsules. The oil makes the powder slightly tacky and pungent, so fill in a closed system and use a flow agent to keep it moving.

2% Grade in Dry Blends

The 2% grade is mild enough to use in dry blends at a practical gram weight. Add it in stages to a free-flowing carrier, because the aromatic oil can pull on the carrier and form small lumps during mixing, and sieve the blend once to break them.

4% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 4% grade need a dry binder and a lubricant, and a film coat contains the strong clove aroma. Oily powders stick to punches, so a polished punch face and a lightly lubricated blend help the run, and the tablets should be packed in foil to hold the aroma.

2% Grade in Sachet Premixes

Sachets of the 2% grade dilute the extract with a bulking carrier so the filler can weigh an accurate dose. A foil laminate holds the aroma, because the volatile oil migrates through thin films during shelf life.

2% Grade in Spice-Forward Beverage Powders

Stick-pack drink powders with warm spice notes, such as cinnamon, ginger and cardamom, carry the 2% grade well. The extract is insoluble, so the cup is hazy and the label should call for stirring before drinking.

4% Grade for Contract Blending

Contract blenders place the 4% grade in multi-ingredient powders where a strong spiced aroma is wanted. The aroma carries across adjacent runs, so dedicate scoops and sieves and clean the line before a mild product follows.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Clove extract is a light brown powder with a warm, sweet-spicy, phenolic odor and a pungent, numbing taste. Because it is insoluble in water, a liquid format needs a suspension system or an oil carrier. Eugenol dissolves readily in ethanol and in lipid phases, which is why oily or alcoholic phases give a more uniform dispersion than an aqueous mix.

Eugenol is a phenol and oxidizes slowly in air and light, especially in the presence of iron, so the powder darkens over time. It also evaporates at moderate temperatures, so high-temperature drying, extrusion and long hot-fill steps lose volatile oil, and the oil figure of a processed product can be well below that of the starting powder. Cool, sealed storage retains the aroma.

For scale-up, premix the powder with part of the carrier and weigh the first fills against the target. Keep drums sealed and flushed, and store cool, away from direct light. Because the aroma is strong, ventilation at the charging point and separate scoops prevent cross-contamination of milder products.

Compatibility with other ingredients needs a check. Eugenol can soften or swell some plastics and plasticizers, and it reacts with iron salts to give dark complexes, so mineral premixes and plastic liners should be tested in a short compatibility trial. The pungent, numbing taste is strong even at low inclusion, and a cup that carries more than a few hundred milligrams per serving tastes sharply spiced. Sweet, creamy or chocolate bases soften the impression.

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.