Acerola Cherry Extract 17–25% Natural Vitamin C

Acerola cherry extract comes from the ripe fruit of Malpighia emarginata, the West Indian cherry, which is not related to the stone-fruit cherries of the genus Prunus. Water extraction takes up the soluble acids and sugars of the fruit, and the liquor is dried to a light red powder.

The grade range is 17–25% natural vitamin C by HPLC, and the primary grade is the 25% end. The powder is 80 mesh and water soluble. The 17% grade keeps a fuller fruit profile for drinks and chewables, while the 25% grade carries more ascorbic acid per gram for compact capsules and tablets.

SKU: BOT-STX-0035 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Acerola Cherry, Fruit & Berry, Gummies & Chews, Standardized Extracts, Water Extracted, Water Soluble

Vitamin C Standardization & Grades

Acerola is one of the richest fruit sources of ascorbic acid, and it is standardized to that single compound. The label word natural refers to the origin of the vitamin in the fruit, not to a different molecule: the compound measured is L-ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is highest in green and half-ripe fruit and falls as the cherry ripens and turns sweeter and redder, so the maturity of the harvest sets the starting level. The botanical entity is Malpighia emarginata DC., a small tropical tree of the family Malpighiaceae, and the part used is the fruit. The older names Malpighia glabra and Malpighia punicifolia are synonyms.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
17% Natural Vitamin C	HPLC	Drink powders and chewable bases
25% Natural Vitamin C	HPLC	Capsules and tablets with small fill

The two grades differ by about a third. The 25% grade supplies the vitamin from a small fill, which suits capsules and tablets. The 17% grade holds more of the fruit sugars, organic acids and red pigments, so acerola cherry extract at this level has a more fruity flavor and color and suits drinks and chewables. The fruit is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract, the Acerola Cherry Extract Powder, as a spray-dried fruit powder, the Acerola Cherry Powder, and as a freeze-dried powder, the Freeze-Dried Acerola Powder. Those forms carry the fruit matrix without a vitamin C figure, and they are not substitutes for this grade. Acerola cherry grows as a shrub or small tree in warm climates. The ripe fruit loses vitamin C quickly and is highly perishable, which is why the maturity at harvest and the speed of processing decide the starting level.

Vitamin C Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by HPLC, which separates L-ascorbic acid from other acids and from related compounds and quantifies it against a reference standard. A titration with an oxidizing dye counts every reducing substance in the extract, including anthocyanins and some polyphenols, and it gives a higher figure than HPLC for a pigmented fruit extract. The two methods are not interchangeable, so the method belongs with the figure.

Ascorbic acid oxidizes to dehydroascorbic acid, and then breaks down further. A chromatogram that shows ascorbic acid together with its oxidation product tells the story of a lot’s handling, because fresh material carries mostly the reduced form. The sample is prepared in an acidic diluent with a stabilizer and injected promptly, since the compound degrades quickly in neutral solution.

Purity risks are chemical. An HPLC result for ascorbic acid does not say where the molecule came from, because the natural and the synthetic forms are chemically identical, so the figure alone does not prove that all the vitamin came from the fruit. The red color, the fruit acids and the sugar profile belong to the extract and support the identity. Acerola is also confused by name with ordinary cherries, and the genus, the part and the vitamin figure together define it.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Malpighia emarginata
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Acerola, Barbados Cherry
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Natural vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid from the fruit)
Primary Grade	25% Natural Vitamin C (HPLC)
Available Grades	17% · 25% Natural Vitamin C (HPLC)
Appearance	Light Red 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

25% Grade for Dense Capsules

The 25% grade provides the vitamin in a small fill, which suits capsules and tablets of acerola cherry extract. The powder is highly hygroscopic and cakes quickly in humid air, so fill under controlled humidity and use a desiccant sachet.

25% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 25% grade need a moisture-tolerant filler and a dry binder, because the acidic powder softens compacts and corrodes tooling in humid rooms. Test hardness and color after storage, as the tablet may speckle.

17% Grade in Drink Powders

The 17% grade dissolves in water to a light red, tart solution, and the fruit acids and sugars give a natural flavor. It suits instant drinks and effervescent mixes, where the color and tang are part of the product.

17% Grade in Chewable Tablets

Chewable bases use the 17% grade because the fruit sugars and acids add flavor without a harsh sour edge. Control the acid level of the base, and test the color after storage, since the red pigment fades in light.

17% Grade in Gummy Premixes

Gummy premixes accept the 17% grade, but the fruit acids lower the pH and can weaken the set of a pectin gel. Add the powder after the main cook, adjust the buffer, and check the vitamin level after the gummy has aged.

25% Grade in Stick Packs

Stick packs carry the 25% grade at a small fill with a flow agent and a sweet carrier. Use moisture-barrier film with a good seal, because the hygroscopic powder clumps at the seal and fades quickly if the film lets light through.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light red powder with a fruity, tart odor and a sour-sweet taste. It is water soluble, and solutions are light red and clear. The powder has a high proportion of sugars and acids, so it takes up moisture from the air faster than most plant extracts and becomes sticky and then hard. Moisture control is the first requirement at every step.

Acerola cherry pulp holds the vitamin together with its pigments and acids, and acerola cherry fruit is the only source of this extract. Ascorbic acid and the red pigments are both sensitive to heat, light, oxygen and metal ions. Copper and iron speed oxidation and darken the color, so use stainless steel or glass contact surfaces and avoid long hot holds. A nitrogen headspace or an oxygen scavenger in the pack protects the vitamin during shelf life, and an opaque container protects the pigment.

In liquid systems, add the powder under agitation to a base that is already at the target pH, and add it late in the process. Acerola cherry flavor is tart, so the acerola cherry dose in a drink is set by taste as much as by the vitamin target. Compare each lot with a retained sample for color, odor, moisture pickup and the ascorbic acid peak. The sticky, acidic residue attacks dust filters and leaves colored films on mixers, so schedule clean-down time after an acerola run. Acerola cherry extract keeps its vitamin level best in a sealed, light-proof liner kept cool, and a retained sample from each lot tested again near the end of shelf life shows whether the packaging holds the ascorbic acid figure and the color together.

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.