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What is a plant extract and what are its applications

First of all, let’s understand the definition of plant extracts.

Plant extracts, as the name implies, refer to the use of plants as raw materials. According to the needs of the final product, through the extraction and separation process, one or more components in the plant are directional obtained or concentrated, and generally do not change. Products formed from original plant ingredients.

According to the different ingredients of the extracted plants, it forms glycosides, acids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, etc.It can also be supplemented with excipients to make powder or granules with good fluidity and moisture resistance. solid, but also in small quantities in liquid or oily form.

Plant extracts can be divided into simple extracts, quantified extracts, standardized extracts, and purified extracts according to the process and intrinsic quality; classified into solid extracts, liquid extracts, soft extracts, dan lain-lain. according to the product form; Divided into single herbal extracts, compound Chinese herbal extracts, and component extracts.

The development history of the plant extract market In the early 1980s, developed countries such as Europe and the United States, which had basically completed industrialization, set off a trend of returning to nature. People’s attention and rejection of chemical synthesis products with side effects gradually increased. Natural and safe plants The favor of extracts has returned and is highly praised, and the industry has risen in response to the situation. Dalam 1994, the United States promulgated theDietary Supplement Health and Education Act”, which officially recognized the use of plant extracts as a food supplement, and the plant extract industry developed rapidly.

Application scenarios of plant extracts There are various types of plant extracts, and their functions are also diversified. An extract often has different effects, but it can be roughly divided into five categories: coloring, flavor output, pharmacological effects, and health functions. Coloring: Plant pigment is the main component of plant color, and some plants are extremely rich in pigment content, which can be used for pigment extraction. There are dozens of plant pigments available in my country, such as curcumin, safflower yellow, radish red, and beet red,sorghum red, chili red, dan lain-lain.

Flavor output

Plant extracts are often rich in characteristic ingredients that are effective in stimulating the senses, such as sweeteners and volatile substances. Natural sweetener is a popular new type of sweetener at present. It is not only sweet, but also an ideal substitute for sucrose, which has significant health effects. Such as stevia glycoside, momorrhodoside and so on. Essential oil is a concentrated volatile substance, which is often used in the preparation of spices. It is also the industry with the lowest application threshold among plant extracts and the least regulatory restrictions.

Health care function

The components of plant extracts include glycosides, acids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, dan lain-lain. Most of these components have been confirmed to have biological activities and have non-negligible effects on human health. The development of their health care function has become the mainstream application trend of plant extracts.