Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) flower head with spiny bracts

Milk thistle in bulk: extract powder and capsules for private label

Short answer: GOA Supply sells milk thistle as milk thistle extract powder in 10, 50 or 100 kg and as ready-filled milk thistle extract capsules in 20,000, 50,000 or 100,000 pieces, both also as private label. The extract comes from the seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum), and the powder is sourced from China. Milk thistle is not a novel food for use in food supplements, but France sets a maximum of 266 mg silymarin per daily dose and requires warnings on products made with the fruit.

What is milk thistle?

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a thistle from the daisy family (Asteraceae) with purple flower heads and spiny, white-veined leaves. The raw material for extracts is the "seed". Botanically, these seeds are small dry fruits (achenes), which is why EU and French documents refer to the fruit. The seeds contain silymarin, a group of flavonolignans that is the usual reference point when milk thistle extracts are specified.

To make an extract, the seeds are usually defatted and then extracted with a solvent. Extracts are sold either as a ratio extract or standardised to a silymarin content. Which of the two you buy determines how you calculate the silymarin amount on your label.

Milk thistle in bulk: the forms at a glance

Form Specification (GOA data) Order quantities Typical business use
Milk thistle extract powder Silybum marianum (seed); country of origin China; fine powder; vegan; extract specification on request 10 / 50 / 100 kg Raw material for capsules, tablets and powder blends
Milk thistle extract capsules Milk thistle extract (Silybum marianum); capsule type and fill weight on request; HS code 210690 20,000 / 50,000 / 100,000 capsules Ready-filled capsules for supplement brands, webshops and pharmacies

Smaller quantities than these tiers are possible on request. Larger tiers come with a volume discount, shown per product.

Extract powder or capsules?

With the extract powder you decide the silymarin amount per daily dose yourself, which matters in countries with a maximum such as France. It suits capsule fillers, tablet producers and brands that combine milk thistle with other ingredients. The capsules suit brands that want to launch a milk thistle product quickly without their own filling line. They are filled by a contract manufacturer in the Netherlands and supplied in bulk for your own packaging. Ask for the capsule type and fill weight before you design your label, so that you can calculate the amount per daily dose.

What to check when you buy milk thistle wholesale

  • Ratio or standardisation. Ask whether the extract is a ratio extract or standardised to silymarin, and which minimum content the specification guarantees. Compare offers on the same basis.
  • Test method. Silymarin results depend on the analytical method. Ask which method the CoA uses, so that you compare like with like.
  • Extraction solvent. Ask which solvent was used and for the residual solvent results. The EU Novel Food Catalogue specifically mentions an acetone extract of the fruit with 70 to 80% silymarin.
  • Plant part. Check that the specification names the seed or fruit. Other parts, such as the aerial parts, are different materials.
  • Allergens and contaminants. Milk thistle belongs to the Asteraceae family. Ask for an allergen statement and for results on heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins and microbiology.

Our checklist for buying supplements in bulk covers the general documents.

Milk thistle regulations in the EU

In the EU Novel Food Catalogue, milk thistle seed oil is listed as not novel in food, and the aerial parts and an acetone extract of the fruit with 70 to 80% silymarin are listed as not novel in food supplements. Milk thistle extract can therefore be used in food supplements without a novel food authorisation, as long as your material falls under that description. If it does not, ask your competent authority.

France sets extra conditions. The Compl'Alim database allows the fruit, seed, leaf and aerial parts of Silybum marianum, with a maximum of 266 mg silymarin per daily dose for the general population. Products containing the fruit must carry warnings: not for people with a known allergy to plants of the Asteraceae family, not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and not recommended under 18 years. These warnings follow an opinion of the French food safety agency ANSES of 19 April 2023.

Private label milk thistle

For private label we supply milk thistle extract powder or filled capsules in bulk for your own packaging and label. As the brand owner, you arrange:

  • the label, including the mandatory food supplement information and national warnings such as those in France;
  • claims, which must comply with Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006;
  • notification where required: none in the Netherlands, FOODSUP in Belgium, Compl'Alim in France and a notification to the BVL in Germany.

See our private label page for how we work.

Ordering milk thistle in bulk

Prices exclude shipping, and we can arrange transport. Orders are usually shipped within 1–2 weeks, depending on stock. The specification and a certificate of analysis (CoA) are available on request. See all order options on our wholesale page or our range of plant extracts in bulk.

FAQ

Is milk thistle a novel food?
No. The EU Novel Food Catalogue lists the aerial parts and an acetone extract of the fruit with 70 to 80% silymarin as not novel in food supplements, and the seed oil as not novel in food.

How much silymarin may a supplement contain in France?
Compl'Alim sets a maximum of 266 mg silymarin per daily dose for the general population, and products with the fruit need specific warnings on the label.

Why do labels say "fruit" when the extract is made from seeds?
Milk thistle "seeds" are botanically small fruits (achenes). Regulations and monographs therefore often use the word fruit for the same material.

Where does your milk thistle extract powder come from?
The country of origin of our milk thistle extract powder is China. The full specification is available on request.

Can I order milk thistle capsules under my own brand?
Yes, from 20,000 capsules. We supply them in bulk for your own packaging and label.

Sources

Written by Florian Fermin, co-owner of GOA Supply.

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