Cassia seed extract: a sourcing guide for eye-health formulas
The two questions we always put to the facility. When a cassia seed enquiry comes in, we ask our manufacturing partner two things before quoting: how the 10:1 was calculated for the lot, and whether the seed was roasted. Both answers change the price and neither is visible on a grade name. Buyers who are comparing three suppliers on price alone are usually comparing a roasted 10:1 against something that is neither.
Cassia seed extract is bought on two very different bases, and most sourcing mistakes happen when a buyer and a supplier think they are discussing the same one. Our standard grade is a 10:1 extract of roasted Cassia obtusifolia seed. A different buyer may want total anthraquinones at 2% or 4% by UV. Those are two specifications, two prices and two sets of documents. This guide is about telling them apart before the first quotation, not after the first complaint.
What the material is
The botanical is Cassia obtusifolia L., and the part used is the seed — roasted before extraction, which is the traditional preparation and gives the material its characteristic roasted-seed aroma. Extraction runs on a food-grade water-ethanol system, and the dried extract is a brown fine powder at 80 mesh. In the supplement world it is a vision-support ingredient, most often formulated alongside lutein, zeaxanthin and goji.
10:1 is a ratio, not an assay
This is the single most misunderstood line on the sheet. A 10:1 concentration ratio means ten kilos of roasted seed went in to produce one kilo of extract. It is a statement about how much raw material the powder represents, not a measurement of any compound in it. Two extracts can both be 10:1 and differ substantially in what they contain, because the ratio says nothing about the solvent, the temperature or the cut.
So when a specification needs to be enforceable, a ratio alone is not enough. The alternative is a quantified marker: total anthraquinones at 2% or 4% by UV, both of which we can supply. Choose the basis first:
- Ratio-based (10:1) — the traditional extract, priced on raw-material input, and the right choice when the formula is a classic blend and the label does not quantify a marker.
- Marker-based (2% or 4% anthraquinones, UV) — the right choice when your label or your customer's QA sheet names a figure, because then the figure has to be on the COA and has to be reproducible lot to lot.
- Both on one sheet — common in practice, and worth writing down explicitly: a 10:1 extract confirmed at a stated anthraquinone level. It is the most defensible version and the easiest to audit.
Roasted seed, and why it is on the sheet
Roasting is not decoration. It is the traditional preparation, it gives the characteristic aroma, and it produces a milder profile than raw seed — which is why buyers building a classic eye-health blend usually specify roasted. If your formula was developed on raw-seed extract, say so at enquiry stage: the two are not a like-for-like swap, and a sample that surprises you at pilot is usually a roast-versus-raw conversation that should have happened earlier.
The supporting lines
| Line | Standard grade | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration ratio | 10:1 | Raw-material input, not potency |
| Appearance | Brown fine powder | First check on roast level and drying |
| Particle size | 80 mesh | Flow in capsules and blends |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 5.0% | Shelf stability in a hygroscopic blend |
| Packing | 25 kg fibre drum | Handling and repacking cost |
| Shelf life | 24 months unopened | Your inventory planning window |
The typical COA on the product page shows what a released lot looks like: concentration ratio confirmed at 10:1, loss on drying 4.8%, lead below 1 ppm, total plate count under 1,000 cfu/g, and E. coli and Salmonella negative. Those are indicative values for a standard lot — the COA that matters is the one issued with your batch, and it should be readable before the deposit, not after.
The first-order mechanics
MOQ is 1 kg, which makes a real evaluation affordable: enough for a bench trial and a stability jar without committing to a drum. Samples are drawn from production lots rather than lab stock, the evaluation quantity is agreed by item value, and courier is at cost and quoted up front. Standard packing is a 25 kg fibre drum with a double polyethylene liner, with 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for samples and pilot runs. In-stock items ship in about two days; bulk production of standard grades runs 3–5 working days after deposit. Transit from Xi'an to Shenzhen consolidation takes about 3 days, then about 6 days by air to major U.S. and EU airports, or 18–25 days by sea.
Ask for the ratio basis and the COA together. A supplier who can explain how the 10:1 was calculated is a supplier whose other numbers you can trust.
One regulatory note worth passing to your team: anthraquinone-containing botanicals carry labelling expectations in several markets, and structure/function claims are the brand's responsibility rather than the ingredient supplier's. Build the claim after the specification is settled, not before.
Frequently asked questions
What grade of cassia seed extract do you supply?
The standard grade is a 10:1 extract of roasted Cassia obtusifolia seed, extracted with food-grade water-ethanol and milled to 80 mesh, appearing as a brown fine powder. Total anthraquinones at 2% or 4% by UV are also available when your specification needs a quantified marker.
Does 10:1 mean the extract is 10 times stronger?
No. The 10:1 ratio means ten kilos of roasted seed were used to produce one kilo of extract, so it describes raw-material input rather than the level of any single compound. If you need a potency figure on the COA, specify total anthraquinones at 2% or 4% by UV instead of relying on the ratio.
What is the MOQ, packing and lead time?
MOQ is 1 kg. Standard packing is a 25 kg fibre drum with a double polyethylene liner, and 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags are available for samples and pilot runs. In-stock items are ready in about 2 days; bulk production of standard grades takes 3-5 working days after deposit.
Related: Cassia Seed Extract — full specification, grades and documentation.