Opened capsules with light yellow powder on a white surface

Quercetin in bulk: extract powder, capsules and the source question

Short answer: GOA Supply sells quercetin as quercetin extract powder in 10, 50 or 100 kg and as ready-filled quercetin capsules in vegetarian HPMC capsules in 20,000, 50,000 or 100,000 pieces, both also as private label. Quercetin is a yellow flavonoid that occurs naturally in many plants, fruits and vegetables. When you buy quercetin in bulk, the botanical source deserves extra attention: the EU Novel Food Catalogue has no general entry for quercetin, but it lists quercetin (≥ 95%) extracted from Dimorphandra mollis as a novel food that is not yet authorised.

What is quercetin?

Quercetin is a flavonol, a subgroup of the flavonoids. In plants it occurs both on its own and bound to sugars. The best-known example of such a bound form is rutin, which the EU Novel Food Catalogue also describes as quercetin-3-rutinoside. For food supplements, quercetin is extracted from plant material and purified into a yellow powder. Source plants include the flower buds of the Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum, also known as Sophora japonica) and the Brazilian tree Dimorphandra mollis, and the two have a different regulatory status in the EU.

Quercetin hardly dissolves in water. That matters if you want to use it in drink mixes or liquid products, and it is one reason why most quercetin on the market ends up in capsules and tablets.

Quercetin in bulk: the forms at a glance

Form Specification (GOA data) Order quantities Typical business use
Quercetin extract powder Yellow powder; vegan; quercetin content and botanical source on the specification, available on request 10 / 50 / 100 kg Raw material for capsule fillers, tablet producers and contract manufacturers
Quercetin capsules Quercetin in vegetarian HPMC capsules; vegan; HS code 210690; CoA downloadable on the product page 20,000 / 50,000 / 100,000 capsules Ready-filled capsules for supplement brands, webshops, pharmacies and health food stores

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

Extract powder or capsules?

The extract powder suits brands and contract manufacturers that make their own capsules, tablets or combination formulas. Quercetin is often combined with other ingredients, and with the powder you set the amount per capsule and the other components yourself. The capsules suit brands that want a single-ingredient quercetin product without their own filling line. We supply them filled in bulk, and you pack them in your own jars or pouches. The capsules are filled by a contract manufacturer in the Netherlands, and a CoA can be downloaded on the product page.

What to check when you buy quercetin wholesale

  • Botanical source. Ask which plant the quercetin comes from and check that source against the EU Novel Food Catalogue. Quercetin from Dimorphandra mollis is listed as not yet authorised, while the flower bud of Styphnolobium japonicum is listed as not novel in food supplements.
  • Content and basis. Ask which minimum quercetin content the specification guarantees and whether it is expressed on an anhydrous or a dihydrate basis, since quercetin is often traded as quercetin dihydrate.
  • Not every "quercetin" is the same ingredient. Encapsulated quercetin-zein, for example, has its own entry in the catalogue and is considered a novel food. Make sure the material on the specification matches the ingredient you put on your label.
  • Contaminants. Ask for results on heavy metals, pesticides, microbiology and, for solvent extracts, residual solvents.
  • Storage. Keep the powder closed, cool, dry and out of the light.

For the general documents, see our checklist for buying supplements in bulk.

Quercetin regulations in the EU

Novel food status depends on the source and the form, not only on the name. In the EU Novel Food Catalogue there is no general entry for quercetin as a substance. Two specific entries matter for buyers: quercetin (≥ 95%) obtained by extraction from Dimorphandra mollis and encapsulated quercetin-zein are both listed as novel foods that are not yet authorised. A product made with one of those materials may not be placed on the EU market as a food supplement until it is authorised.

In France, the Compl'Alim database lists quercetin as an authorised substance without a fixed maximum. Like every food supplement in France, a quercetin product has to be declared on Compl'Alim before it goes on sale. Claims are a separate matter: under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 you may only use claims that are authorised in the EU register.

Private label quercetin

For private label we supply quercetin powder or filled capsules in bulk for your own packaging and label. As the brand owner, you take care of:

  • the label, with the mandatory food supplement information in the language of each sales country;
  • claims in line 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.

How private label works at GOA Supply is explained on our private label page.

Ordering quercetin in bulk

Prices exclude VAT and 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 the order options on our wholesale page or our full range of plant extracts in bulk.

FAQ

Is quercetin a novel food?
The EU Novel Food Catalogue has no general entry for quercetin. Quercetin (≥ 95%) extracted from Dimorphandra mollis and encapsulated quercetin-zein are listed as novel foods that are not yet authorised, so check the source on the specification.

What is the difference between quercetin and rutin?
Rutin is quercetin bound to the sugar rutinose (quercetin-3-rutinoside). Both are flavonoids, but they are different ingredients with their own specifications and catalogue entries.

Can I use quercetin powder in drinks?
Quercetin hardly dissolves in water, so it is mainly used in capsules and tablets. Test the powder in your own recipe before you plan a drink product.

What is the minimum order for quercetin capsules?
The standard tier starts at 20,000 capsules. Smaller quantities are possible on request.

Do you supply a CoA?
Yes. The CoA for the capsules can be downloaded on the product page. For the powder, the specification and CoA are available on request.

Sources

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

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