Plant extracts & botanical ingredients for beverages, nutrition & functional foods

How plant extracts are used in food & beverage applications

In industrial formulations, plant extracts and botanical powders can:

• Provide natural colour tones such as green shades from matcha or spirulina in beverages and confectionery.
• Boost perceived health value through phytonutrients, chlorophyll, polyphenols or saponins from selected plants.
• Support flavour and aroma with herbal, grassy, marine or tea notes that fit modern “clean-label” trends.
• Increase fibre content using inulin for prebiotic fibre claims and sugar-reduction support.
• Offer functional actives such as glycyrrhizin from licorice for sweetness modulation or tribulus extract in sports and men’s health products (where permitted).

Atlas plant extracts can be used alone or in combination with Vitamins & Nutritional Enhancers and Proteins & Plant Proteins to build complete nutrition concepts.

Quality, consistency & regulatory alignment

Plant extracts can vary based on origin, harvest, extraction method and carrier systems. To support consistent industrial production, we focus on:

• Controlled specifications for active content, moisture and particle size.
• Supplier audits and documentation from established Chinese producers.
• Clear information on extraction solvents, carriers and residual limits.
• Batch traceability and Certificates of Analysis for each shipment.

Regulatory requirements differ between markets for maximum dosage, health claims and approved uses. Atlas Global Trading Co. provides documentation so your own regulatory and quality teams can assess each extract for target markets.

Key considerations when working with plant extracts

When formulating with botanical ingredients, we recommend focusing on:

• Solubility & dispersibility: especially in cold-fill beverages, instant powders and RTD drinks.
• Flavour profile & masking: some plant extracts have strong herbal or marine notes that require masking or balancing via Flavorings and Sweeteners.
• Colour stability: exposure to light, oxygen and heat can affect natural colour tones over shelf life.
• Texture & mouthfeel: fibre-rich extracts like inulin influence viscosity and body, especially in dairy and beverage systems.
• Regulatory compliance: permitted usage levels, health claims and product categories vary between markets.

Our team can share typical usage ranges, interaction considerations and example applications to accelerate your development work.

Examples of plant extract applications

• Matcha or spirulina-based RTD beverages and smoothie mixes.
• Green or superfood-positioned ice creams, yogurts and desserts.
• Nutrition bars and powdered drink mixes with chlorella or moringa.
• Inulin-enriched dairy, bakery and beverage products for fibre claims.
• Tribulus or moringa blends in capsules and tablets (where permitted).

Regulatory & documentation support

Regulatory frameworks for botanical ingredients are dynamic and region-specific. Atlas Global Trading Co.:

• Provides product specifications and Certificates of Analysis for each shipment.
• Shares manufacturer documentation on extraction methods, carriers and quality controls.
• Helps your regulatory team understand typical use areas and labelling implications.
• Aligns supply contracts and quality agreements to your internal standards.

For a deeper view on additive labelling and E-numbers that may co-exist with botanical ingredients, visit Atlas Academy’s article on EU labelling.

From idea to long-term plant extract supply

Atlas coordinates sampling from partner factories in China, supports your pilot trials and then scales to regular deliveries. Mixed-container and consolidated shipments can include plant extracts together with sweeteners, vitamins and other additives from the Atlas portfolio, optimising freight and simplifying purchasing.