Lavender Extract 5–30% Polyphenols

Dried flowers of Lavandula angustifolia, the English or true lavender grown across the Mediterranean and the Balkans, are extracted with ethanol to give this lavender extract. The concentrate is dried and milled to a light brown, 80 mesh powder that dissolves in water to a clear amber solution with a soft floral and herbal note.

Total polyphenols are measured by UV with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and offered as a 5–30% range, with 30% as the primary grade and 5% as the lower grade. Rosmarinic acid is tracked as a second marker. The higher grade fits capsules and tablets, and the lower grade suits drink mixes.

SKU: BOT-STX-0181 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Ethanol Extracted, Flower, Gummies & Chews, Lavender, Polyphenols, Standardized Extracts

Polyphenol Standardization & Grades

Lavender flowers carry two chemical fractions: the essential oil, rich in linalool and linalyl acetate, and a polar phenolic fraction made of rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid derivatives, luteolin glycosides and coumarins. The ethanol-extracted powder described here is defined by the second fraction. Lavandula angustifolia Mill. is standardized to total polyphenols because that figure captures the phenolic fraction as a whole, while the volatile oil is largely absent from a dried powder extract.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
5% Polyphenols	UV (Folin-Ciocalteu)	Drink mixes, high-inclusion blends
30% Polyphenols	UV (Folin-Ciocalteu)	Capsules and tablets

The 30% grade carries six times the phenolic load of the 5% grade per gram, so a capsule fill can be much smaller, while the 5% grade dissolves quickly and blends at gram-level inclusion. Lavender is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract without a marker figure, the Lavender Extract Powder, and as a milled flower, Lavender Flower Powder. The standardized extract is the one to specify when a polyphenol figure has to appear on the specification.

The flower is the part used. Dried lavender flower buds and florets are separated from stalk and leaf before extraction, because the stalks add fiber and little phenolic content. Lavender is also cultivated for its essential oil, and oil-distilled flower waste is sometimes used for extracts. The material here is defined by the flower and by the phenolic fraction, not by volatile oil content.

Polyphenol Analysis & Purity Risks

The Folin-Ciocalteu method is a redox assay. A phenol reduces the reagent under alkaline conditions, a blue color forms, and the absorbance is read against a reference phenolic compound, most often gallic acid. The result is a group total expressed as that reference. It responds to any reducing substance, including ascorbic acid and some sugars and amino acids, so it overstates the phenolic content if those compounds are present.

Because the method is nonspecific, rosmarinic acid is read separately by chromatography as a second marker. The ratio between the two shows how much of the phenolic total is rosmarinic acid and how much comes from flavonoids and other phenolics. A lot with a high total and a low rosmarinic acid share has a different composition from one where the two rise together.

The botanical risk is one of species. True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia), spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) and French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) are different taxa with different oil and phenolic profiles, and they are traded under the general name lavender. The stated species and the flower part are part of the identity. Leaf and stem of the shrub are different material from the flower.

A further risk is interference. Because the colorimetric method counts sugars, maltodextrin carried into the extract during drying would raise the total without adding phenolics. This is why the 30% grade is made from a concentrate that has been cleaned of free sugars, and the chromatographic profile is used to check what stands behind the number.

Harvest timing matters too. Flowers cut at full bloom and dried quickly retain more phenolics than flowers cut late or dried slowly in damp air.

Sample preparation affects the reading. The extract is dissolved in a defined solvent, usually aqueous methanol or ethanol, diluted to a range where the color response is linear, and read against a calibration curve prepared fresh. The reaction time and the alkaline medium are held constant, since small changes in either shift the blue color and make results from different days hard to compare.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Lavandula angustifolia
Plant Part	Flower
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Common Name	Lavender, English Lavender
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Total Polyphenols; Rosmarinic Acid
Primary Grade	30% Polyphenols (UV, Folin-Ciocalteu)
Available Grades	5% · 30% Polyphenols (UV, Folin-Ciocalteu)
Appearance	Light Brown powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Soluble
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

30% Grade in Floral Capsule Fills

The 30% grade of lavender extract delivers a polyphenol target in a small fill, which suits two-piece capsules. The powder is hygroscopic and mildly tacky, so a flow agent and a dry filling room keep fill weights steady across the run.

30% Grade in Coated Tablets

Tablets of the 30% grade need a dry binder and a film coat. Phenolics oxidize and darken in humid air, so the coat protects the tablet color, and a hardness check after a month of storage shows whether the tablet has taken up moisture.

5% Grade in Floral Tea Granules

Granulated blends for infusion pair the 5% grade with cut lavender flower, which gives the tea a visible flower and a dissolved phenolic base. The extract is dosed as a fine powder inside the bag and kept apart from moist ingredients, so that the flower note stays soft and the infusion clears quickly.

5% Grade in Instant Drink Mixes

Instant drink mixes use the 5% grade at gram level. It dissolves to a clear amber solution with a gentle floral and herbal note, and it pairs with honey, lemon, chamomile or berry flavors in a way that keeps the flower character.

5% Grade in Gummy Bases

Gummy depositing starts from a syrup into which the 5% grade is dissolved. The phenolics are sensitive to prolonged heat and to high pH, so the extract is added late and the mass is kept slightly acidic to hold the amber color of the finished piece.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Lavender extract is a light brown powder with a soft, herbal and faintly floral note. It dissolves in water to a clear amber solution, and the polar phenolics are the reason it dissolves. The volatile oil of the flower is not a significant part of the powder, so the aroma is milder than that of the dried flower.

Rosmarinic acid and the other phenolics oxidize in solution, particularly at higher pH and in the presence of iron or copper, and the solution darkens through brown shades. Chelating agents, mildly acidic bases and opaque packaging protect the color. Rosmarinic acid is an ester and hydrolyzes under strong alkali and prolonged heat.

Moisture uptake leads to caking and darkening of the powder. A tightly closed container with a silica sachet keeps the powder from clumping. Fine phenolic dust is irritating to the nose and eyes, so closed charging and local extraction are advised at the filling station.

In production, sieve the powder, premix it with part of the carrier and check the first capsules by weight. Mineral premixes need a compatibility trial, as metal ions darken phenolic solutions over several days. An accelerated stability run in the intended pack shows early whether color, flow and clarity hold.

A quick check at receipt is useful. A light brown, fine powder with a soft herbal note is expected for lavender extract, while a strong camphor-like note suggests that essential oil or another Lavandula species has been added. A dark or caramel-colored lot points to heat damage during concentration.

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.