Gardenia Jasminoides Extract 10–50% Geniposide

Gardenia jasminoides extract starts from the ripe fruit of Gardenia jasminoides, the cape jasmine sold in the Chinese trade as zhi zi, and the flower, leaf and root are not part of the starting material. Ethanol extraction takes up the iridoid glycosides and the yellow carotenoid pigments of the fruit, and the concentrate is dried to a yellow-orange powder.

Geniposide is measured by HPLC, with a primary grade of 50% and a lower grade of 10%. The powder is 80 mesh and water soluble. The 50% grade fits capsules and tablets that need a small fill, while the 10% grade fits drink powders and blends in which the fruit matrix and color are wanted.

SKU: BOT-STX-0154 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Ethanol Extracted, Fruit & Berry, Gardenia, Gummies & Chews, Standardized Extracts, Water Soluble

Geniposide Standardization & Grades

Geniposide is an iridoid glycoside, the glucoside of genipin, and it is the main iridoid of the gardenia fruit. The fruit also contains crocin, a water-soluble carotenoid that gives gardenia yellow, together with chlorogenic acid derivatives and other iridoids such as gardenoside. The botanical entity is Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis, and the extract is standardized to geniposide because it is the defining, measurable iridoid of the fruit and because HPLC resolves it clearly from crocin and the other glycosides.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
10% Geniposide	HPLC	Drink powders and blends, color contribution
50% Geniposide	HPLC	Capsules and tablets, small fill weight

Grade choice follows dose, color and fill weight. The 50% grade carries five times the geniposide of the 10% grade per gram and is lighter in color, so a capsule reaches its target with less powder, while the 10% grade is bulkier, a deeper yellow-orange and easier to dissolve in a beverage. Gardenia is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker figure, the Gardenia Fruit Extract Powder, as milled fruit, the Gardenia Fruit Powder, and as a single compound, Geniposide 98%. The standardized extract is the row to use when a geniposide figure has to appear in the specification.

Geniposide Analysis & Purity Risks

HPLC separates geniposide from gardenoside and from crocin on a reversed-phase column and quantifies the peak against a reference standard, with UV detection at about 240 nm. The result is geniposide specifically. A UV total would count crocin, which absorbs strongly in the visible range, and other iridoids, so neither a UV figure nor a gravimetric glycoside figure can be converted into the HPLC value.

For identity, the fingerprint of the fruit is read beside geniposide. Gardenoside, crocin and chlorogenic acid derivatives give a recognizable pattern, and the relative size of the crocin peak shows how much of the yellow pigment the extract carries. A low crocin share points to a more refined, paler grade.

Purity risks arise from the plant group and from the behavior of the glycoside. Gardenia fruit is traded as a small-fruited and a large-fruited form, and the large-fruited Gardenia jasminoides var. grandiflora is a different material with a different pigment balance. Geniposide is also hydrolyzed by beta-glucosidase to genipin, which reacts with amino groups to give blue pigments, so poorly stabilized fruit or an extract held with active enzymes can turn green or blue. The stated fruit and the stated process matter.

Sample preparation uses a polar solvent at moderate temperature, because geniposide hydrolyzes under strong acid or base. Samples are filtered and injected promptly, and the working solutions are protected from light, since crocin fades under strong light.

Raw material handling also matters. The fruit is picked ripe, steamed briefly to stop enzymes and dried, and incomplete enzyme inactivation lets geniposide convert to genipin during storage. A well-processed fruit is orange-red and firm, whereas a poorly processed lot is dull, partly green or blue-stained.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Gardenia jasminoides
Plant Part	Fruit & Berry
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Iridoids, Terpenoids
Common Name	Gardenia, Cape Jasmine, Zhi Zi
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Geniposide
Primary Grade	50% Geniposide (HPLC)
Available Grades	10% · 50% Geniposide (HPLC)
Appearance	Yellow-Orange 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

50% Grade for Compact Capsules

The 50% grade of Gardenia jasminoides extract reaches a geniposide target in a small fill, which suits compact capsules. The powder is hygroscopic and sticky, so fill in a dry room and seal the capsules in a desiccated bottle.

10% Grade in Drink Powders

The 10% grade dissolves into a clear yellow-orange cup with a mild bitter-sweet taste. It colors the drink visibly even at a low serving, so fruit-forward flavors with a yellow or orange tone suit it, and cool water gives the cleanest result.

50% Grade in Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 50% grade need a dry binder and a glidant, because the hygroscopic powder softens in humid air. A film coat limits moisture pickup and masks the faint bitterness, and hardness should be checked after storage.

10% Grade in Gummy Bases

Gummies take the 10% grade as a yellow-orange color and matrix contributor. Add the powder late in the cook, because heat dulls the pigment, and avoid amino-rich bases, since genipin-forming conditions can shift the shade toward green.

10% Grade in Sachet Premixes

Sachets of the 10% grade rely on a bulking carrier to give the filler an accurate, meterable dose of the fruit extract. Foil laminate with low moisture transmission keeps the powder free-flowing, and light-protective film holds the color.

50% Grade in Stepwise Dilutions

A small dose of the 50% grade is reached by diluting in stages with a bulking carrier ahead of the filler. The tint of the powder makes mixing uniformity easy to check by eye on a test batch.

Technical & Quality Considerations

Gardenia jasminoides extract is a yellow-orange powder with a faint, sweet-herbal odor and a bitter-sweet taste. It is water soluble, giving a clear to slightly hazy yellow-orange solution whose color depends on the crocin share. The 50% grade is paler than the 10% grade because refining removes part of the pigment.

Geniposide is stable at neutral to mildly acidic pH and moderate temperature, but it hydrolyzes under strong acid or base and in the presence of beta-glucosidase, releasing genipin. Genipin reacts with amino acids and proteins to form blue and green pigments, so protein- or amino-acid-rich formulas can change color over time. Crocin fades in light and in the presence of oxidizers, so clear packs and metal ions shorten the life of the yellow tone.

At scale, the fruit extract is sieved, premixed with part of the carrier and verified by weighing the first fills. Drums are stored sealed and cool, away from direct light, with desiccant liners in humid regions. A closed charging system limits the strongly staining yellow dust.

Compatibility with proteins and amino acids needs a short trial at the target pH and temperature, since the color change is slow and shows only on aging.

Color management is the main sensory task for Gardenia jasminoides extract. The 10% grade tints a drink a clear yellow-orange even at low servings, and the shade moves toward a deeper orange at higher pH. Crocin is the fugitive part, so a recipe that must hold its tone for months needs opaque packaging and a low oxygen headspace, while a product sold in capsules can ignore the color entirely and concentrate on keeping the powder dry.

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.