Reading a Roxburgh rose (cili fruit) powder specification
What we send when a buyer asks for the cili fruit specification. We send the specification sheet together with a sample COA from a recent production lot, because on a powder with no marker assay the COA is the document that carries the quality conversation. We also confirm two choices before the sheet is of any use: the carrier, carrier-free or maltodextrin, and the mesh, 80 standard or 100 on request. The same published sheet covers both, so a quotation against the wrong combination has to be redone, and it is faster to settle those two lines first. If the buyer tells us the label claim and the target market, we recommend the grade our other buyers in the same category use, usually within one email.
A Roxburgh rose powder specification is a short sheet, and it is read in the wrong order more often than any other document in the fruit-powder category. Buyers open it looking for an assay percentage, find the words “pure concentration powder”, and are not sure what to negotiate. This article walks the sheet in the order that matters: what the assay line actually says, the physical lines that decide whether the powder works in your process, and what the batch COA adds on top. The buying mechanics — how quotations are compared and what a first order looks like — are covered in our Roxburgh rose (cili fruit) sourcing guide.
A specification with no assay line
The standard grade is a pure concentration powder, produced by low-temperature spray drying of fresh juice or pulp, with 100% cili fruit solids and no synthetic colors. There is no marker compound to standardise against, so the assay line is a statement about what the powder is rather than a potency figure. One practical consequence follows: when you compare cili fruit powder suppliers, you cannot do it by assay, because neither grade has one. Quality is judged on the physical lines, the documentation and the process, so those are the lines to read closely.
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 source | Cili fruit (Rosa roxburghii Tratt), fruit | Species identity, the first line a specification file is audited on |
| Process | Low-temperature spray drying of fresh juice/pulp | The step that preserves the fruit’s native vitamin C and its tangy character |
| Assay | Pure concentration powder, no synthetic colors | No marker to negotiate; the value proposition is the fruit itself |
| Appearance | Light beige to cream fine powder | A receiving check against the description, not a claim |
| Odour and taste | Characteristic of the fresh fruit; tangy, fruity | The flavour that carries into the finished dilution |
| Carrier | Carrier-free, or maltodextrin on request | Changes cost, flow behaviour and any vitamin C claim on the label |
| Particle size | 80 mesh (standard), 100 mesh on request | Decides grittiness in gummies and dispersion in drinks |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 5.0% | Moisture limit; the COA reports the actual result |
| Total ash | ≤ 5.0% | Mineral load; the COA reports the actual result |
| Shelf life | 24 months in unopened original packing | Stated for the original packing, so keep the drum sealed until use |
Mesh and carrier: the two lines that change the product
- Carrier. The standard grade is carrier-free, 100% cili fruit solids. A maltodextrin carrier is available on request. Carrier-free suits immunity-focused and clean-label positioning; a carrier changes flow behaviour and cost per kilo, and dilutes any native vitamin C content on the finished label.
- Mesh. 80 mesh is standard; 100 mesh on request. For sachets, stick packs and gummies the finer mesh is usually worth the conversation; for beverage mixing the standard grade disperses adequately.
Both alternatives can be produced to your specification, so state the target and we will confirm feasibility and lead time before quoting.
What the batch COA adds to the Roxburgh rose specification
Every lot ships with a batch COA and full documentation. On a powder with no marker assay the COA is the whole quality conversation: the specification sheet states limits — loss on drying at or below 5.0% and total ash at or below 5.0% — while the COA states the actual results for your batch, together with identity confirmation. Ask for a Roxburgh rose powder COA from a recent lot alongside the specification sheet before you order, not after the goods have shipped.
Packing, storage and what to check on arrival
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. MOQ is 1 kg, and OEM packing under your own brand is available, with artwork handled under confidentiality. Shelf life is 24 months in unopened original packing; store cool, dry and away from direct sunlight. On arrival, check that the drum is intact and the liner sealed, confirm the batch number on the drum matches the COA, and note the colour against the light-beige-to-cream description before the material goes into the warehouse.
Ask for the spec sheet, a sample COA and a trial bag in the first email. For a powder with no marker assay, the documentation and the trial material are the whole quality conversation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the assay for Roxburgh rose powder?
There is no marker assay. The standard grade is a pure concentration powder, 100% cili fruit solids, produced by low-temperature spray drying of fresh juice or pulp, with no synthetic colors. Quality is judged on the physical lines and the batch COA rather than on a potency figure.
What mesh size and carrier options are available?
80 mesh is standard and 100 mesh is available on request. The standard grade is carrier-free, with a maltodextrin carrier available on request. Alternative mesh sizes and carrier systems can be produced to your specification; we confirm feasibility and lead time before quoting.
What do the moisture, ash, packing and shelf-life lines say?
Loss on drying is at or below 5.0% and total ash at or below 5.0%, with the actual results for your batch reported on the COA. 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. Shelf life is 24 months in unopened original packing, stored cool, dry and away from direct sunlight.
Related reading
Related: Roxburgh Rose Powder — full specification, grades and documentation.