Reading a cassia seed extract specification, line by line
What we do with a cassia specification before it becomes a price. When a cassia seed enquiry arrives, the first thing we establish is which basis the buyer is actually shopping on — the 10:1 ratio or total anthraquinones at 2% or 4% by UV — and whether the seed was roasted. Then we ask our manufacturing partner for the most recent lot COA rather than relying on the specification sheet, because the sheet states limits while the COA states results, and on a marginal lot those are two different documents.
A cassia seed extract specification is a short document — ten lines on our standard grade — and it is read in the wrong order more often than any other sheet in the eye-health category. Buyers open with the concentration ratio, see “10:1”, and assume a potency figure. It is not. This article walks the sheet in the order that matters: first the basis the material is sold on, then the physical lines, then what the typical COA adds.
Two specification bases, decided before anything else
Cassia seed extract is bought on one of two bases, and they are not interchangeable:
- 10:1 concentration ratio (our standard grade). Ten kilos of roasted Cassia obtusifolia seed go in for every kilo of extract. It is a statement about raw-material input, not a measurement of any compound. The right basis for classic blends where the label does not quantify a marker.
- Total anthraquinones at 2% or 4% by UV. A quantified marker on the COA. The right basis when your label states a figure or your quality file needs an enforceable potency number.
Both are available from us. Choose the basis before comparing prices, because a quotation against one basis tells you nothing about the other.
The specification table, line by line
These are the lines published on the product page, and what each one controls:
| Line | Standard grade | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Cassia obtusifolia L. | Species identity — the first thing a specification file is audited on |
| Part used | Seed (roasted) | Roasting is the traditional preparation and gives the material its roasted-seed aroma; unroasted seed is a different product |
| Extraction solvent | Water-ethanol (food grade) | Solvent class — relevant to label declarations and to what the extract carries over |
| Concentration ratio | 10:1 standard | Raw-material input, not an assay |
| Appearance | Brown fine powder | The quickest visual check when a sample arrives against the sheet |
| Particle size | 80 mesh | How the powder flows and disperses in a dry blend or encapsulator |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 5.0% | Moisture ceiling — protects flow and shelf life |
| Packing | 25 kg fibre drum | Standard pack, with 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for samples and pilot runs |
| Shelf life | 24 months unopened | Storage planning for your inventory, not ours |
| Storage | Cool, dry | The condition the 24-month figure assumes |
What the typical COA adds
The specification states limits; the COA states results. The typical certificate for a standard lot reads: concentration ratio 10:1 confirmed, loss on drying 4.8% against the 5.0% ceiling, lead below 1 ppm, total plate count below 1,000 cfu/g, and E. coli and Salmonella negative. Read the gap between the limit and the result, not just the limit — a lot running at 4.8% moisture has less headroom in your warehouse than the sheet suggests.
A specification is only as good as the lot that ships against it. Ask for the COA of the actual batch, not the sheet of the standard grade.
MOQ, packing and lead time
The commercial mechanics are deliberately simple. MOQ is 1 kg. The standard pack is a 25 kg fibre drum with a double polyethylene liner, and 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags cover evaluation samples and pilot runs, drawn from production so the material you trial is the material that would ship. In-stock items are ready in about two days; bulk production of standard grades runs 3–5 working days after deposit. Transit runs Xi'an to Shenzhen consolidation in about three days, then roughly six days by air or 18–25 days by sea.
If you are still deciding which basis suits your formula, the sourcing guide compares the ratio and marker routes end to end, and the product page carries the full published specification.
Frequently asked questions
Is cassia seed extract standardised on anthraquinones?
Our standard grade is a 10:1 extract of roasted Cassia obtusifolia seed, which is a concentration ratio rather than a marker assay. Total anthraquinones at 2% or 4% by UV can be supplied when your specification needs a quantified figure; send the target and we confirm feasibility with our manufacturing partner before quoting.
What does the typical COA show?
Indicative values for a standard lot: concentration ratio 10:1 confirmed, loss on drying 4.8% against a limit of 5.0%, lead below 1 ppm, total plate count below 1,000 cfu/g, and E. coli and Salmonella negative. The actual COA for your batch is issued with the shipment.
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, with 1 kg and 5 kg foil bags for samples and pilot runs. In-stock items are ready in about 2 days, and bulk production of standard grades takes 3-5 working days after deposit.
Related reading
Related: Cassia Seed Extract — full specification, grades and documentation.