Turmeric Extract 60–95% Curcuminoids

Turmeric extract starts from the dried rhizome of Curcuma longa L., and the pigment-rich fraction is concentrated by ethanol extraction. The result is an orange-yellow powder defined by its curcuminoid content, which is the sum of the three yellow polyphenols that give the spice its color.

The primary grade is 95% curcuminoids by HPLC, with a 60% grade as the lower end of the range. The powder is 80 mesh and insoluble in water. The 95% grade suits compact capsules and tablets, and the 60% grade suits blends in which turmeric character and a fuller extract profile matter.

SKU: BOT-STX-0002 Category: Standardized Extracts Tags: Curcuminoids, Ethanol Extracted, Gummies & Chews, Polyphenols, Root & Rhizome, Softgels & Oil Fills, Standardized Extracts, Turmeric

Curcuminoid Standardization & Grades

Curcuminoids are three closely related diarylheptanoid polyphenols: curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. They differ only in the number of methoxy groups on the two aromatic rings, and together they account for the color of turmeric. The extract is standardized to the sum because the three compounds travel together through extraction, and because HPLC can resolve and quantify each of them. The botanical entity is Curcuma longa L., with the rhizome as the only part used.

Grade	Assay & Method	Where It Fits
60% Curcuminoids	HPLC	Blends and drink mixes with turmeric character
95% Curcuminoids	HPLC	Compact capsules and tablets

Grade choice follows fill weight, color and taste. The 95% grade carries more than one and a half times the curcuminoid load per gram of the 60% grade, so a capsule reaches its target in a smaller fill, and the powder tints a formula strongly at low inclusion. Color is a second reason to choose: formulators who only need a golden tint in a drink mix often use the lower grade, because a near-pure pigment overshoots the shade at small additions. The 60% grade brings more of the turmeric oil and non-curcuminoid material into each gram, which gives a rounder spiced taste and a softer color. Turmeric is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract with no marker figure, the Turmeric Extract Powder, and as milled rhizome, the Turmeric Root Powder. The single compound is the separate Curcumin 98%, and Bisdemethoxycurcumin 98% is the smallest of the three curcuminoids in its own purified form.

Curcuminoid Analysis & Purity Risks

Both grades are measured by HPLC. The method separates the three curcuminoids on a reversed-phase column, reads each peak by its absorbance in the visible range and adds the named peaks against reference standards. A UV total, by contrast, counts anything that absorbs near the same wavelength, so it usually reads higher for the same material. An HPLC figure and a UV figure for turmeric extract are therefore not interchangeable, and neither should be converted into the other.

The chromatogram doubles as a fingerprint. Natural turmeric extract shows curcumin as the largest peak, followed by demethoxycurcumin and then bisdemethoxycurcumin, and the proportion between the three is characteristic of the plant. A different ratio can point to a different source, and it separates a plant-derived extract from curcumin made synthetically, which has different minor components. Literature on the secondary markers of the rhizome also describes turmeric oil and its sesquiterpene ketones, which sit in the less polar fraction and lower the percentage in the 60% grade.

Purity risks follow from the material class. Powdered turmeric has a documented history of color adulteration, including inorganic pigments and synthetic dyes added to brighten a weak product, so heavy-metal limits and HPLC fingerprinting matter for this botanical. Species identity is a second risk, because zedoary and other Curcuma species supply paler, differently flavored rhizomes. An HPLC percentage on its own does not show either problem, so the specification names the plant part, the species and the chromatographic method together.

Sample preparation shapes the number as well. Curcuminoids dissolve slowly and degrade in light, so laboratories dissolve the extract in methanol or another organic solvent, shield the vials from light and inject soon after preparation. A result from an old or light-exposed solution reads low, which is one more reason to tie a turmeric extract figure to its method and its handling.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Latin Name	Curcuma longa
Plant Part	Root & Rhizome
Processing	Ethanol Extraction
Compound Class	Polyphenols
Common Name	Turmeric
Ingredient Type	Standardized Extract
Marker Compound(s)	Curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin)
Primary Grade	95% Curcuminoids (HPLC)
Available Grades	60% · 95% Curcuminoids (HPLC)
Appearance	Orange-Yellow powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Insoluble in Water
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 Compact Capsules

The 95% grade reaches a target dose in a small fill, which suits compact capsules. The fine, electrostatic powder flows poorly on its own, so a glidant and a controlled-humidity filling room are standard, and an opaque shell hides the strong orange tone.

95% Grade in Softgel Suspensions

Softgel fills disperse the powder in oil with an emulsifier or a phospholipid, because the curcuminoids barely dissolve in water. The particle size is reduced by milling, and the suspension is checked for settling before encapsulation.

60% Grade for Tablet Blends

Tablets of the 60% grade carry more non-curcuminoid material, which binds more readily under compression. A dry binder and a lubricant are still needed, since the oily fraction sticks to punches, and hardness should be checked after storage.

60% Grade for Powder Sticks

Sticks use the lower grade in golden spiced drink mixes, where turmeric flavor is part of the cup. The extract settles in water, so stirring or a thickener keeps it suspended, and a dry blend with sugar prevents lumps.

60% Grade for Gummy Premixes

Gummies take the extract for a yellow-orange shade at gram-level inclusion. Add it after the cook and hold the mass on the acidic side, since alkaline conditions shift the color toward red-brown, and choose citrus or ginger flavors that suit the spiced note.

Technical & Quality Considerations

The extract is an orange-yellow powder with a warm, earthy odor and a slightly bitter taste, more bitter at the 95% grade. It is insoluble in water and dissolves in ethanol, acetone and dimethyl sulfoxide. Curcuminoids degrade under light and in alkaline conditions, and the diketone chain also chelates iron and copper into dark complexes. The extract is therefore kept away from bare metal surfaces, from alkaline bases and from clear packaging.

For scale-up, sieve the powder, premix it in two steps with a dry carrier and verify color at each lot change, because the pigment stains equipment, belts and hands. Plan dedicated tools and a solvent-compatible cleaning step between products. Dust control deserves attention at the 95% grade: the fine, electrostatic powder rises easily, coats surfaces with a strongly staining orange film and is lost during weighing. Closed transfer, local extraction and anti-static scoops reduce both loss and cleaning time. Keep opened drums closed and shaded, since light fades the color over weeks, and compare each lot with a retained sample for shade and chromatographic fingerprint.

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.