Date Seed Extract 8% Flavonoids

Date seed extract starts from the pit of the date palm fruit, Phoenix dactylifera, a hard, grooved seed that makes up a minor share of the fruit’s weight, and the flesh, leaf and trunk are not part of the starting material. Ethanol extraction takes up the flavonoids and condensed tannins of the seed, and the concentrate is dried to a brown powder.

The single grade is 8% flavonoids by UV. The powder is 80 mesh and slightly soluble in water. It fits capsules, tablets and bar or drink blends in which a seed-derived polyphenol fraction is the design target.

SKU: BOT-STX-0139 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Bars & Bakery, Date, Ethanol Extracted, Flavonoids, Seed & Grain, Standardized Extracts

Flavonoid Standardization & Grades

Flavonoids in date seed are dominated by flavan-3-ols and their oligomers, the catechins and procyanidins, together with smaller amounts of flavonol and flavone glycosides and phenolic acids. A UV assay adds the flavonoids into one number. The botanical entity is Phoenix dactylifera L., and the extract is standardized to this class because the seed is the polyphenol-rich part of the fruit, in contrast to the sugar-rich flesh, and the flavonoid fraction is the stable, measurable one.

The grade is a single point at 8%, so there is no grade table. The figure is a UV total, and it is not a catechin or procyanidin figure by HPLC. Date is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract of the fruit, the Date Fruit Extract Powder, and as a fruit powder, the Date Powder. Both of those are fruit-flesh products with a different composition, while the seed extract is the polyphenol-focused form. The standardized extract is the row to use when a flavonoid figure has to appear in the specification of the date seed extract.

Flavonoid Analysis & Purity Risks

A UV reading compares the absorbance of a flavonoid complex with a reference compound, so the value is an equivalent and not a count. For flavan-3-ol-rich material the choice of reference, typically catechin or rutin, moves the number noticeably, and a figure is comparable only with another figure on the same basis. A UV total cannot be turned into an HPLC result for catechin, since the two methods measure different things.

An HPLC fingerprint of the seed is read beside the total as an identity check. Catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin dimers and trimers, and phenolic acids form the pattern that is characteristic of date seed, and the proportion of oligomers shows how much condensed tannin the extract carries. A flesh-derived extract shows a very different pattern, with sugars dominant.

Purity risks follow from the material class. The seed and the fruit flesh are sold as separate ingredients, and a product named seed extract that is built on pitted flesh would have a different chemistry. The stated part is therefore part of the identity. The seed is also hard and oil-bearing, so extraction conditions decide whether lipids are carried into the powder, which changes both flow and the oxidation behavior of the product.

Sample preparation uses a hydroalcoholic extraction and a sample blank without the reagent, because tannin-rich extracts are intensely colored and can give high background absorbance. Samples are filtered through a fine membrane before reading.

Raw material handling also matters. Seeds are separated from the flesh, cleaned of sugar residue, dried and milled, and the hard coat needs strong milling before extraction. Residual flesh on the seed adds sugars that make the final powder sticky.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Phoenix dactylifera
Plant Part	Seed & Grain
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Flavonoids, Polyphenols
Common Name	Date Seed, Date Pit
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Total flavonoids (flavan-3-ols and procyanidins of the seed)
Primary Grade	8% Flavonoids (UV)
Appearance	Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Slightly Soluble 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

8% Grade for Standard Capsules

Date seed extract at 8% flavonoids fills two-piece capsules at a moderate weight. The brown powder is fine, tannic and slightly hygroscopic, so fill in a dry room and seal the capsules in a desiccated bottle to protect the contents from moisture.

8% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 8% grade need a dry binder and a glidant, because tannin-rich powders compact into dark, hard tablets. A film coat limits dust and covers the astringent taste, and hardness should be checked after storage.

8% Grade in Bar Blends

In cold-pressed bars the 8% grade is blended into the dry fraction ahead of the syrup. The roasted, slightly bitter flavor of the seed pairs naturally with dates, nuts and cocoa, and the brown color is invisible in dark bases.

8% Grade in Stick-Pack Drink Powders

Stick-pack drink powders pair the 8% grade with coffee-style or cocoa flavors that match the roasted character of the seed. The cup is brown and hazy, and tannin astringency calls for a sweetener or milk to round it.

8% Grade in Sachet Premixes

Sachets dilute the 8% grade with a bulking carrier so the filler can weigh an accurate dose. Foil laminate with low moisture transmission keeps the powder free-flowing, because tannin-rich extracts cake when they take up water.

8% Grade for Contract Blending

Contract blenders place the 8% grade in multi-ingredient powders where a seed-derived polyphenol matrix is wanted. The brown dust stains pale blends, so schedule it after dark products and purge the line before a pale run.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Date seed extract is a brown powder with a mild, roasted, slightly bitter odor. It is slightly soluble in water, so a solution turns hazy brown, with part of the polar fraction dissolved and the larger tannin oligomers largely in suspension. Heating helps dissolution but deepens the brown color through oxidation of the catechins.

Flavan-3-ols and procyanidins oxidize in air, light and the presence of metal ions, forming darker, polymerized pigments. Contact with iron gives blue-black complexes, so stainless contact surfaces, low-iron fillers and light-protective packaging limit color drift. In neutral or alkaline media the oxidation is faster, which is why acidic or antioxidant-rich bases hold the shade better.

A fine screen removes the hard seed fragments that survive milling, and the sieved powder is premixed with part of the carrier before it reaches a filler. First fills are weighed against target, because the density of a tannin-rich powder shifts between lots. Drums stay sealed and cool with a desiccant liner in humid regions, and a closed charging system limits the brown dust that otherwise spreads across the packing room.

Proteins bind tannins and may haze a clear drink, so a dairy-based or plant-protein beverage needs a short pilot trial before scale-up. Astringency is the main sensory limit in liquid formats, and sweeteners, milk or fat soften it.

The seed’s oil and fiber content also shape processing. A date seed extract that retains some lipid will oxidize and turn rancid in warm storage, which gives an off odor long before the flavonoid figure changes. Defatting during extraction, nitrogen-flushed liners and cool storage control the problem. Fiber particles that survive milling make a gritty mouthfeel in drinks, so a fine screen and a short high-shear dispersion improve the cup.

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.