Rhubarb Root Extract Powder

The dried root and rhizome of Rheum palmatum, the medicinal Chinese rhubarb, supply this rhubarb root extract. Water extraction concentrates the soluble root fraction, and the liquor is dried to a yellow-brown powder at a 10:1 ratio. The leaf stalks eaten as garden rhubarb are not used.

The 10:1 ratio carries no anthraquinone percentage. The powder is yellow-brown, ground to 80 mesh and water dispersible. An anthraquinone-graded rhubarb extract and the single-compound references are separate products, and culinary rhubarb belongs to different species.

SKU: BOT-BEX-0082 Category: Botanical Extracts Tags: Dry Blends & Premixes, Plant Extracts, Rhubarb, Root & Rhizome, Water Dispersible, Water Extracted

Rheum palmatum Root Identity & Plant Part

The botanical entity is Rheum palmatum L., a large perennial of the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. The part used is the root and rhizome, which is dug, peeled, sliced and dried before extraction. Leaves, leaf stalks and flowers are not added to this rhubarb root extract.

Garden rhubarb, Rheum rhabarbarum or its hybrids, is grown for its stalks and is a different plant with a different chemistry. Several medicinal rhubarb species trade under the same name, so a specification should carry the botanical name and the root part. The root contains anthraquinones such as emodin, rhein, chrysophanol and physcion, along with tannins and stilbene glucosides, and the water fraction holds mainly the glycosides.

Rhubarb Extract vs Powder & Standardized Grades

Form	What It Is	Choose It When
10:1 Rhubarb Root Extract	Water-extracted, concentrated and dried R. palmatum root	A dispersible root extract without a marker is wanted
Rhubarb Extract ≥5% Total Anthraquinones	Extract with a defined anthraquinone figure	The specification names an anthraquinone figure
Chrysophanol 98%	Single purified anthraquinone	A pure compound is required, not a plant extract
Physcion 98%	Single purified anthraquinone	A pure compound is required, not a plant extract

In this rhubarb root extract the 10:1 records ten parts of sliced root per part of powder. It gives no anthraquinone figure, and a buyer who needs one has to move to the graded extract.

The ratio extract suits blends that want rhubarb root identity in a dispersible form. The two pure compounds are chemical references, not substitutes for the extract. Anthraquinone-containing ingredients are treated differently in different markets, so formulators check local rules for this botanical before launch.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Rheum palmatum
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Water Extraction
Common Name	Chinese Rhubarb, Medicinal Rhubarb
Ingredient Type	Ratio Extract
Extract Ratio	10:1
Appearance	Yellow-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

Herbal Capsule Fills

Capsule fills combine rhubarb root extract with other root and herb extracts. The yellow-brown powder is slightly tacky because of its tannins, so humidity is kept low and a flow aid is considered. Fill weight is checked on a trial run before the capsule size is set.

Coated Tablet Blends

Coated tablets enclose the extract so that its bitter taste stays off the surface. The tannin-rich solids bind well under compression but darken with moisture, so cores are dried and the coating also serves as a moisture barrier.

Bitter Herbal Sticks

Single-serve sticks pair rhubarb root extract with sweetener and a flavored carrier. The bitter, astringent taste limits the dose in plain water, and cocoa, citrus or ginger flavors cover it. The yellow-brown color becomes a deeper amber once dissolved.

Dark Premix Mixes

Dark premixes use the extract in cocoa, coffee-style or spice bases where its color and bitterness are accepted. Pale or clear products would show its tint, so the extract is matched to bases that are already brown or amber.

Formulation Notes

The powder is yellow-brown with a faint earthy aroma and a bitter, astringent taste. In water it disperses to an amber liquid, with anthraquinone glycosides shifting the color toward orange in alkaline conditions and toward yellow in acid. Tannins react with iron, so stainless equipment is preferred.

Stir the powder into a small share of the base first, so that tannin-bound lumps never form. Tannins and sugars together draw water, so an open pack hardens within days. Once opened, the drum liner is squeezed free of air, sealed tightly and stored cool and dry, away from direct light.

Light speeds the fading of anthraquinone pigments, so finished products are packed in opaque containers. A color and taste trial at the planned dose shows whether the base can carry the extract. A bench trial in the intended base should record color, bitterness and any dusting at the planned dose, because rhubarb root extract shows its yellow-brown tint in pale mixes immediately and its bitterness after a few seconds in the mouth.

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.