Sweet Tea Extract 70–95% Rubusoside

Sweet tea extract is prepared from the leaves of Rubus suavissimus, the Chinese sweet tea or tian cha, and not from true tea (Camellia sinensis), from stevia leaf or from the fruit of related raspberries. Ethanol extraction followed by purification concentrates the diterpene glycoside rubusoside, and the liquor is dried to a light yellow, water-soluble powder.

The primary grade is 95% rubusoside by HPLC, with 70% as the lower end of the range. The powder is 80 mesh. Both grades are intensely sweet and serve drink sticks, tablets and beverage bases, while the 70% grade keeps more of the leaf polyphenols and is slightly less clean in taste.

SKU: BOT-STX-0083 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Dry Blends & Premixes, Ethanol Extracted, Gummies & Chews, Leaf & Herb, Standardized Extracts, Water Soluble

Rubusoside Standardization & Grades

Rubusoside is a diterpene glycoside with a kaurane skeleton carrying a glucose unit on the carboxyl group and another on the ring. It is closely related to the steviol glycosides of stevia, though it lacks the rhamnose and extra glucose units that distinguish rebaudioside A. The grade is defined by this single compound, which is the dominant sweet principle of the leaf. The botanical entity is Rubus suavissimus S.K.Lee, which GBIF lists as a synonym of Rubus chingii, and the part used is the leaf.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
70% Rubusoside	HPLC	Beverage bases and tea-style blends
95% Rubusoside	HPLC	Sweetener systems and drink sticks

Grade choice follows taste cleanliness, color and the amount of leaf matrix a formula should keep. The 95% grade is nearly pure, paler and cleaner on the palate, and its high water solubility suits clear drinks. The 70% grade keeps more of the leaf polyphenols, which add a faint astringency, a slightly deeper color and a more tea-like character. No sibling product from the same plant is currently listed in the catalog, so this grade pair is the full offer for sweet tea.

Rubusoside also has a technical role. It forms soluble complexes with hydrophobic molecules and can increase the apparent solubility of fat-soluble ingredients in water, which is why formulators sometimes use it as a co-solubilizer in powdered premixes. This effect depends on concentration and on the partner compound and should be tested for each formula.

Buyers who compare sweet tea extract quotes should check the plant and the part. True tea, stevia and the raspberry fruit are different ingredients, and a rubusoside figure belongs only to Rubus suavissimus leaf. A named species, the leaf as the stated part and a named method are the three items that make a figure comparable.

Rubusoside Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by HPLC, which separates rubusoside from the other diterpene glycosides and the polyphenols on a reversed-phase column, usually with detection at a short UV wavelength because the kaurane skeleton has no strong chromophore. The peak is identified by retention time and quantified against a reference standard. A colorimetric sugar or glycoside test would count unrelated compounds and is not comparable.

The fingerprint of sweet tea leaf shows rubusoside as the dominant peak, with smaller diterpene glycosides and a group of polyphenols such as gallotannins and ellagitannins eluting at other positions. Because the 95% grade has been purified, its chromatogram is clean with few extra peaks, and a lot with many unidentified peaks at that grade deserves a closer look.

Detection at a short wavelength makes the method sensitive to solvent quality and baseline drift, so a validated gradient and a bracketing standard are the practical basis for a reliable figure. Samples are dissolved in water or a dilute alcohol, filtered and injected promptly.

Purity risks follow from the botany. Leaves of other Rubus species are also called sweet tea in local trade, and stevia glycosides give a similar sweet peak pattern that a general sweetness test cannot separate from rubusoside. A species statement, the leaf as the stated part and a chromatographic fingerprint protect identity better than a percentage alone.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Rubus suavissimus
Plant Part	Leaf & Herb
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Terpenoids
Common Name	Sweet Tea, Chinese Sweet Tea, Tian Cha
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Rubusoside (diterpene glycoside of Rubus suavissimus leaf)
Primary Grade	95% Rubusoside (HPLC)
Available Grades	70% · 95% Rubusoside (HPLC)
Appearance	Light Yellow 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

95% Grade for Drink Sticks

The 95% grade dissolves in one stir into a clear, nearly colorless solution and supplies strong sweetness at a very small stick dose. Blend it with a bulking carrier so the tiny amount can be metered accurately, and test the aftertaste in the finished flavor system.

95% Grade for Clear Beverage Bases

Clear beverage bases take the high grade because it dissolves without haze and stays stable across the acidic range. Add it to the water phase first, then add acids and flavors, and run a taste trial at the final serving temperature, since sweetness perception changes with cold.

70% Grade for Tea-Style Blends

At 70% the extract is dosed by weight in herbal tea blends and instant tea mixes, where it sweetens the cup and adds a faint leaf-like astringency. Pair it with lemon, mint or hibiscus, which complement the mild bitterness of the remaining polyphenols.

95% Grade in Chewable Tablets

Chewable tablets use the high grade as an intense sweetener at low inclusion. Pre-mix it with a bulking agent such as isomalt, protect the blend from humidity, and check that the powder stays evenly dispersed, because a very small dose is hard to blend uniformly.

70% Grade for Powdered Drink Premixes

Powdered premixes use the lower grade where a slightly more complex taste is wanted. The remaining polyphenols may tint the solution pale yellow, so check clarity in the final liquid, and use sweet tea extract together with other sweeteners to round the taste profile.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is a light yellow powder with a faint tea-like odor and an intensely sweet taste with a mild lingering note. It is water soluble, so it dissolves readily in cold and warm water into a clear to slightly yellow solution. Rubusoside is a stable glycoside across a wide pH range and withstands normal heat treatment, though extended boiling in strong acid cleaves its sugar units.

The powder is hygroscopic, especially at the 70% grade, so keep the drum closed, cool and dry and open it only briefly. Because sweetness is intense, dosing accuracy matters: weigh with a calibrated balance and pre-blend sweet tea extract into a carrier before adding it to the main batch. Clean scoops and hoppers between this powder and unsweetened products, since small amounts carry sweetness.

For scale-up, a taste trial in the real base is more informative than a trial in water. Compare each lot with a retained sample for color, taste and flow, and record the date the drum was opened. Sweetness, aftertaste and mouthfeel can shift slightly from lot to lot with the polyphenol content, which is why sensory comparison belongs in routine release.

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.