Maca Extract Powder

Maca grows as a hardy root crop in the high Andes, and the dried hypocotyl root of Lepidium meyenii is the starting material for this maca extract. Water extraction concentrates the soluble root fraction of Lepidium meyenii, and the liquor is dried to a light brown powder.

This 10:1 ratio extract of maca carries no macamide percentage figure. It is water dispersible and milled to 80 mesh. The macamide-standardized extract, the plain root powder and the maca peptide powder are separate products, each defined differently from this one.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0020 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Bars & Bakery, Maca, Plant Extracts, Root & Rhizome, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Lepidium meyenii Root Identity & Plant Part

The botanical entity is Lepidium meyenii Walp., a mustard-family plant (Brassicaceae) related to radish and turnip. The part used is the root, more exactly the swollen hypocotyl-root storage organ, which is dried before processing. Leaves, flower stalks and seeds are not included in this maca extract. Maca is a high-altitude crop of the Peruvian Andes, and the hypocotyl comes in several colors, including cream, red and black.

The colors belong to one species and are not separate botanicals, but the root color type changes its metabolite profile, so the color of the starting root should be stated. The root holds glucosinolates, lipophilic macamides and macaenes, sterols and starch.

Maca Extract vs Powder & Standardized Grades

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Maca Root Extract	Water-extracted, concentrated and dried L. meyenii root	A dispersible whole-root extract without a marker is wanted
Maca Extract 0.6–1% Macamides	Standardized extract with a defined macamide range	The specification names a macamide figure
Maca Root Powder	Dried, milled root with no extraction	Whole-root starch and fiber are wanted
Maca Peptide Powder	Enzymatically hydrolyzed maca protein	A peptide-based ingredient is required

The 10:1 figure of this maca extract compares starting root with finished powder; it does not give a macamide level. Root color type and growing site both shift the metabolite profile, so two 10:1 lots can differ in macamide and glucosinolate content and the ratio cannot show it.

A label that names macamides needs the standardized extract, and a peptide claim needs the peptide powder, which is enzymatically hydrolyzed maca protein. The ratio extract is the route for a product that needs maca identity in a clean, dispersible powder, and the root powder fits formulas where starch, fiber and bulk are acceptable or wanted.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Lepidium meyenii
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Maca
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Light Brown 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

Compact Capsule Fills

Maca extract powder fills hard-shell capsules after a flow check on the lot. As a water-dispersible extract and not milled root, it makes a finer fill that breaks up quickly on contact with liquid, and the lot-specific check shows whether a glidant is needed.

Banana-Cacao Shake Mixes

Dry smoothie mixes carry maca extract for its malty, butterscotch-like sweetness, which sits well with banana, cacao and oat bases. It disperses easily in cold liquid, so a blender or shaker bottle mixes it evenly.

Caramel-Toned Stick Packs

Single-serve sticks pair maca extract with caramel, vanilla and cocoa flavors that echo its natural taste. The light brown tint blends into warm-toned powders without a masking color, and a little sweetener rounds the earthy finish.

Compact Energy Bars

Bars and bites take the extract into the dry premix before syrup is added. As an extract it adds less bulk than milled root, which matters in small bars where each gram of space is limited.

Coffee-Style Instant Blends

Instant coffee-style and cacao blends use maca extract with roasted flavors. It dissolves with a light haze that is invisible in dark cups, and its malty note adds depth without the grittiness of milled root.

Formulation Notes

The powder is light brown with a warm, malty aroma, reminiscent of butterscotch, and a mildly sweet, earthy taste. In water it disperses to a pale tan, lightly hazy liquid. Glucosinolate breakdown products can add a faint pungent edge, more noticeable at higher dosage in plain water.

Maca extract is rich in soluble sugars and sets into hard lumps if left open. Premix it with part of the filler before charging the main blender, and weigh it quickly in a controlled-humidity room. Screening through a coarse sieve breaks soft agglomerates before they cause weight variation in capsule fills. Sugar-rich powders can also smear on warm blades, so keep high-speed mixing short and cool the vessel if the room is warm.

Once a bag or drum is opened, press the air out and close it again after each draw. Maca extract that has taken up moisture sets into lumps that screening cannot fully restore.

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.