Vitamin premix overages: why the label claim is never the batch formula
Every vitamin premix is dosed above its label claim. How much above is a decision with cost, stability and compliance riding on it — and it belongs in writing before production.
Curcumin 95%: what the number means and why bioavailability comes next
Curcumin 95% is the most quoted specification in botanical ingredients. It describes potency on paper — which is a different thing from what your formulation actually delivers.
What "95% curcuminoids" covers
The figure refers to total curcuminoids, typically measured by HPLC. That total comprises three related compounds — curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin — in proportions that vary somewhat by material and process.
If your product or research reference depends on a particular ratio, specify it. Otherwise, total curcuminoids by HPLC is the standard basis for comparison.
Turmeric powder is not curcumin extract
Dried turmeric rhizome powder typically contains only a few percent curcuminoids. An extract standardized to 95% is a concentrated, different ingredient at a different price point. Quotes that appear dramatically cheap are often quoting one while you are asking about the other.
The bioavailability problem
Curcumin is poorly absorbed on its own — it is minimally water-soluble and rapidly metabolised. This is why the market is full of enhanced delivery systems, and why "milligrams of curcumin" on a label is an incomplete measure of what a product does.
Common approaches include piperine co-administration, phospholipid complexes, micellar and particle-size technologies. Each has its own evidence base, cost and formulation constraints.
Practical points for buyers
- Specify the assay method — HPLC, with total curcuminoids stated.
- Check the solvent — extraction solvent and residual solvent limits belong on the COA.
- Confirm colour stability requirements — curcumin is light-sensitive; packaging and storage matter.
- Compare on cost per active — not per kilo of extract.
Match the ingredient to the claim
If you are making a specific functional claim, work backwards from the research you intend to cite: which material, which dose, which delivery form. Then specify that. Potency alone will not carry a claim that the delivery system does not support.
More from the blog
Mineral salts and chelates: elemental content is the number you are buying
Magnesium oxide and magnesium bisglycinate are priced per kilo of compound but formulated per milligram of elemental mineral. Confusing the two is the most expensive arithmetic error in mineral sourcing.
Amino acids: fermentation, extraction or synthesis, and why the route belongs on your spec
The same amino acid reaches the market by three different manufacturing routes. They differ in isomer purity, allergen risk and which certifications they can carry.