Tart Cherry Extract Powder

Tart cherry extract starts from the fruit of Prunus cerasus, the sour cherry, a tree of the rose family whose deep red fruit is tart rather than sweet. Water extraction concentrates the soluble fruit fraction, and the liquor is dried to a purple-red powder.

The extract is supplied at a 10:1 ratio with no marker percentage and is milled to 80 mesh. Tart cherry powder, cherry powder and the anthocyanin-graded extract are separate products, so this ratio extract is the entry for a dispersible fruit concentrate.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0591 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Bars & Bakery, Fruit & Berry, Gummies & Chews, Plant Extracts, Tart Cherry, Water Extracted

Prunus cerasus Identity & Plant Part

The botanical entity is Prunus cerasus L., sour or tart cherry, a tree of the Rosaceae and a different species from the sweet cherry, Prunus avium. The part used is the fruit. Stems, pits, leaves and bark are not part of this ingredient. Montmorency and other cultivars all belong to this species, and cultivar is not part of the specification here.

The deep red color of tart cherry comes from anthocyanins, mainly cyanidin glycosides, while the sour taste comes from malic acid. The fruit also carries hydroxycinnamic acids, sugars and fiber, named as families only. Tart cherry extract keeps the water-soluble share of these families.

Tart Cherry Extract vs Powder Forms

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Fruit Extract	Water-extracted and concentrated tart cherry	An extract rather than a dried fruit powder is specified
Tart Cherry Extract 1–25% Anthocyanins	Separate extract graded by anthocyanin content	A defined anthocyanin grade is the specification
Cherry Powder	Cherry fruit dried and milled to powder	A whole-fruit cherry powder is wanted
Tart Cherry Powder	Tart cherry fruit dried and milled to powder	A whole-fruit tart cherry powder is wanted

The 10:1 ratio is a concentration step relative to the fruit. It is not an anthocyanin figure, and tart cherry extract carries no marker percentage on this entry. A buyer who needs a numeric anthocyanin level specifies the graded sibling, because that value is measured by its own method.

The two fruit powders retain fiber and cell solids, which makes them bulkier and sticky in humid air. The ratio extract dissolves more evenly and gives a clear-ish red suspension. That makes it the usual choice for sticks and capsules, while the powders suit bars and foods where fruit solids add texture.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Prunus cerasus
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Sour Cherry
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Purple red 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

Tart Red Drink Sticks

Tart cherry extract dissolves into a deep red, lightly hazy drink with a sharp fruit note, which suits cherry, berry and lemonade stick blends. Added acid keeps the color bright. A dry carrier holds the stick dose steady from lot to lot.

Deep-Red Gummy Bases

Gummies carry the extract in pectin bases, where the natural color supports cherry and berry shades. Anthocyanins brown under heat and drift in color with pH, so the powder is added after the main cook and shade is judged on the set gummy.

Opaque Capsule Fills

Capsules take the extract as a purple-red powder, and opaque shells hide the color and protect against light. Sugars and acids raise moisture pickup, so filling rooms need dry air. Weight and disintegration checks close each lot.

Tart Chewable Tablets

Chewable tablets use the extract with mannitol, a disintegrant and flavor. The acidity attacks uncoated tooling over long runs, so coated punches or short runs are used. A hardness trial confirms the binding of the sugar-rich powder.

Cherry Granola Bar Blends

Bars use the extract in the dry blend with oats, almonds and dried fruit, where its tartness offsets sweet binders. The powder is premixed with dry ingredients before the syrup, and finished bars are checked for color drift during storage.

Formulation Notes

Tart cherry extract is a purple-red powder with a fruity, slightly almond-like aroma and a sharp, sour-sweet taste. In water it disperses to a deep red, hazy liquid that turns more purple as the pH rises. Anthocyanin color is the main stability concern, since light, heat and higher pH all dull it.

The powder is strongly hygroscopic, so weigh it in a dry room and reseal the pack after each draw. A flow agent helps in hoppers and capsule fillers. Opened packs belong in a closed container away from heat and bright light, and retained samples from each lot help catch shade differences.

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.