Citron Extract Powder

Citron Extract Powder is a standardized fruit extract produced from Citrus medica L., a citrus species in the Rutaceae family. The fruit is extracted, concentrated, filtered, and spray dried to produce a yellow to light yellow fine powder with a characteristic citrus aroma, acidic taste, and practical water-dispersible behavior.

Essencefield supplies a grade standardized to 40% citric acid, providing procurement and formulation teams with a defined quantitative specification for ingredient evaluation. The powder is positioned for food, beverage, confectionery, and dietary supplement formulations where botanical citrus identity, acidity, sensory contribution, and powder handling are relevant.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0283 Categories: Botanical Extracts, Whole Plant & Specialty Extracts Tags: Citron, Citrus, Flavanones, Flavonoids, Functional Beverages

Ingredient Profile & Common Uses

The extract is derived from the fruit of Citrus medica L., an accepted botanical species within the Rutaceae family. It differs from simple citron fruit powder because the raw botanical undergoes extraction and concentration before spray drying. It should also be distinguished from fingered citron or Buddha’s hand extracts, which represent a separate commercial material and are commonly marketed using ratio-based specifications.

The Essencefield grade is defined by a 40% citric acid specification. This differs commercially from a ratio extract: an extract ratio describes the relationship between starting botanical material and the resulting extract, while an assay measures a defined constituent in the finished ingredient. Buyers should therefore evaluate a 40% standardized extract and a 10:1 ratio extract as different specification systems rather than equivalent measures of strength.

Its acidic citrus profile and water-dispersible behavior are relevant across both liquid and dry formulations. In aqueous systems, the ingredient can influence finished pH, flavor balance, haze, and sediment. In dry blends, formulators should consider compatibility with minerals, proteins, sweeteners, and other moisture-sensitive or reactive ingredients during development and scale-up.

Application Areas

Beverage Powders

Suitable for citrus-oriented beverage powders and functional drink mixes requiring a botanical fruit extract with defined acidity. Finished pH, flavor balance, dispersibility, and sediment should be evaluated in the complete beverage matrix.

Gummies & Confectionery

Can be incorporated into gummy and confectionery systems where citrus character and acidity are desirable. Acid level, sweetener balance, heating conditions, and pectin or gelatin performance should be evaluated together.

Functional Powder Blends

Used in botanical premixes, sachets, stick packs, and other dry formulations. Pre-blending can improve ingredient distribution alongside minerals, flavors, sweeteners, and other botanical powders.

Capsules & Tablets

Provides Citrus medica fruit extract in solid-dose formulations. Development work should consider powder flow, blend uniformity, compression behavior, disintegration, and compatibility with other acidic or mineral ingredients.

Effervescent Formulations

The standardized acidic profile can support selected effervescent concepts where acid-base balance is part of product design. Reaction rate, moisture protection, tablet hardness, and sensory performance require formulation-level evaluation.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Commercial Specification
Product Name	Citron Extract Powder
Botanical Name	Citrus medica L.
Botanical Family	Rutaceae
Common Name	Citron
Plant Part Used	Fruit
Ingredient Type	Standardized Botanical Fruit Extract
Product Form	Spray-Dried Powder
Primary Specification	40% Citric Acid
Marker / Assay	Citric Acid
Processing Method	Extraction, Concentration, Filtration & Spray Drying
Appearance	Yellow to Light Yellow Fine Powder
Odor	Characteristic Citrus Aroma
Taste	Acidic Citrus Taste
Water Behavior	Water-Dispersible
Commercial Grade	Food, Beverage & Supplement Formulation Grade

Key Constituents & Extract Profile

Citric acid defines the standardized commercial grade, while the underlying Citrus medica fruit matrix contains organic acids together with naturally occurring citrus phenolics. This gives the extract a broader compositional identity than purified crystalline citric acid alone.

Published compositional studies of citron identify flavanones and flavonols including eriocitrin, hesperidin, naringin, rutin, and related compounds across different fruit tissues. Their relative distribution varies among pulp, albedo, flavedo, seeds, maturity stages, and extraction conditions.

These naturally occurring constituents help characterize the botanical matrix but are not additional assay claims for the standardized grade. For commercial qualification, the defined assay should remain separate from the naturally variable phytochemical profile of the source fruit.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Botanical identity and assay definition are the primary analytical considerations for this ingredient. Procurement and QA teams should distinguish Citrus medica L. fruit extract from lemon extract, fingered citron extract, and generic citrus bioflavonoid ingredients. For the standardized grade, quality evaluation should focus on identity, the citric acid assay, the analytical method used for quantification, and extract-profile consistency where applicable.

In formulation, the standardized extract behaves differently from purified citric acid because it contains a broader botanical matrix. Its yellow to light yellow appearance, citrus aroma, acidic taste, and water-dispersible behavior can influence finished color, flavor, clarity, haze, and sediment. Equal acid contribution from a botanical extract and purified acid should therefore not be assumed to produce identical sensory or physical performance.

Scale-up evaluation should reflect the intended dosage form. Beverage developers should examine wetting, dispersion, finished pH, clarity, sediment, and interactions with proteins or minerals. Gummy and confectionery projects should evaluate acid-addition timing, gel behavior, sweetness balance, and heat exposure. For capsules, tablets, and powder blends, R&D teams should assess blend uniformity, flow, filling or compression performance, and compatibility with other formulation components.

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.