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Zingerone as the Lead Marker of Dried Ginger Root: Ginger Extract (Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract) for Cosmetics and Food

The root of ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a raw material in demand in both cosmetics and the food sector. Our Ginger Extract with the INCI Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract (EU INCI: Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, CAS 84696-15-1) is obtained exclusively with purified water and then standardised in three carrier variants: glycerin, propylene glycol/water and pentylene glycol/water. The extract is offered in conventional quality; CONIUNCTA® itself is EU organic certified according to Regulation (EU) 2018/848. According to the CDS, the product is suitable for vegans. For formulators, buyers and product developers, three questions are key: How should the marker profile of the dried root be interpreted, which claim areas does the data sheet cover, and why is only one of the three variants also suitable for food? Zingerone, 6-Shogaol and 6-Gingerol: the marker situation of the dried root Our CDS lists zingerone, a phenolic ketone, as the primary marker. A content of 21 to 81 µg/g is stated for the product. Important for interpretation: this value is calculated, not measured. As a reference, the CDS cites the literature content of the herbal drug of 0.1 to 0.3 % (Jolad 2005, Phytochemistry). Scaled down to the finished formulation, the data sheet indicates 0.73 to 2.8 µg/g for a cosmetic formulation containing 3.5 % extract and 0.26 to 1.0 µg/g for a food containing 1.25 % extract. These figures serve as a calculated orientation, for example for specifications or documentation packages, and are not a usage recommendation. In addition, the CDS documents further compounds on a literature basis, without in-house analysis. 6-Shogaol is stated at 0.1 to 0.5 % in the dried herbal drug and described as a dehydration product. 6-Gingerol, by contrast, is mentioned in the data sheet only as a marker for fresh ginger. This distinction is relevant for product communication: since our extract is based on dried plant parts, the dossier provides no basis for presenting gingerol as the lead marker of this raw material. Zingerone is the documented reference point here. Polysaccharides as a characteristic constituent of the aqueous extract The CDS names polysaccharides as a characteristic constituent. The data sheet assigns them the functions "Moisturising, film-forming". The extract is produced using our AVE technology (Adaptive Vacuum Extraction) by aqueous extraction. The drug-extract ratio of the native extract is 1:10, and the extract content in the finished raw material is approx. 30 % regardless of the carrier variant. In other words: 1 kg of CONIUNCTA® Ginger Extract contains the hydrophilic constituents of approx. 30 g of dried plant parts. The raw material is liquid and, according to the product specification, light yellow; the TDS describes colour and odour as characteristic, and the batch-specific values for pH (at 25 °C) and relative density are given in the respective CoA. Temperature-dependent colour changes may occur during storage. If turbidity or precipitation occurs, filtration is required; the quality of the product is not affected. Balancing, Elasticity, Soothing: the cosmetic claim areas according to the CDS For cosmetic applications, the CDS lists three Supported Claim Areas: "Balancing", "Elasticity support" and "Soothing / anti-irritant". In product language, this corresponds to balancing, elasticity-supporting, and soothing and irritation-reducing care concepts. In the cosmetics summary, the data sheet additionally names the effects "Antioxidant, UV-absorbing, anti-tyrosinase". This results in the following thematic starting points for product development: Soothing concepts: soothing and irritation-reducing care based on the claim area "Soothing / anti-irritant". Moisture and skin feel: the polysaccharides documented as moisturising and film-forming. Antioxidant care: formulations that build on the antioxidant effect mentioned in the CDS, complemented by the "anti-tyrosinase" aspect. Elasticity and balance: concepts along the claim areas "Elasticity support" and "Balancing". For context: the targets listed in the CDS, ROS scavenging, tyrosinase and MMP-1, are explicitly marked there as mechanistic background and not as product claims. The statement "UV-absorbing" describes a property of the extract; no sun protection claims can be derived from it. Substantiation of specific claims for the end product is the responsibility of the manufacturer under Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 and Regulation (EU) 655/2013. Glycerin, propylene glycol or pentylene glycol: three carriers compared directly All three variants contain the same aqueously obtained extract content of approx. 30 %. They differ in the carrier system, the INCI declaration and suitability for food: Glycerin: standardisation in anhydrous glycerin (≥ 99.5 %), composition approx. 70 % glycerin and approx. 30 % extract content. EU INCI: Glycerin, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract. Suitable for cosmetics and food. Propylene glycol/water: approx. 40 % water, approx. 30 % extract, approx. 30 % propylene glycol. EU INCI: Aqua, Propylene Glycol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract. Suitable for cosmetics, not food grade according to the TDS. Pentylene glycol/water: approx. 50 % water, approx. 30 % extract, approx. 20 % pentylene glycol. EU INCI: Aqua, Pentylene Glycol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract. Suitable for cosmetics. In practice, this means: no Aqua appears in the INCI declaration of the glycerin variant, and it is the only option for companies wishing to use the same raw material in both cosmetic and food projects. The two aqueous-glycolic variants are aimed at cosmetic formulations in which propylene glycol or pentylene glycol is already part of the formulation concept, or where the overall INCI is to be aligned with a specific glycol. For all three variants, the TDS state a cosmetic usage range of 2 to 5 %. You can find further raw materials with this carrier system in our collection of glycerin extracts. Our technical team will answer specific formulation and dosage questions. Ginger in the food sector: only the glycerin variant For food, the CDS classifies ginger as a "Traditional dietary ingredient". Only the glycerin variant is food grade. The TDS states a usage range of 0.5 to 2 % in functional foods and beverages and marks this as a literature recommendation. Allergen labelling of the end product is the responsibility of the food business operator under Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. No health claims can be derived from our dossier; developers of beverages or functional foods should therefore independently review product communication within the framework of food law. Citral, CLP and logistics: key regulatory data from SDS and TDS Relevant for cosmetic formulators is the note on citral, which is listed as an Annex III allergen. At 5 % usage, the CDS calculates a maximum content of 8.34 mg/kg and compares this with the threshold for leave-on products of 10 mg/kg. The final assessment is carried out as part of the safety assessment by the responsible person for the end product under Regulation (EC) 1223/2009. According to the safety data sheet, the mixture is not classified as hazardous under CLP (Regulation (EC) 1272/2008): no pictogram, no signal word, no H or P statements. It contains no PBT or vPvB constituents and no endocrine disruptors at or above 0.1 %. All carrier variants are classified as WGK 1 (self-classification according to AwSV) and storage class 12 according to TRGS 510; they are not dangerous goods under ADR/RID, IMDG or IATA. The extract is exempt from registration under REACH Annex V No. 8 and is not a biocidal product within the meaning of BPR 528/2012. For handling, the SDS specifies safety goggles according to EN 166. The shelf life is 24 months when stored dry between 10 and 30 °C in the original sealed container. We provide the TDS, SDS and CDS via our technical documentation page. You can find further root, leaf and flower extracts in our collection Classic Plant Extracts; for project enquiries, contact us at info@coniuncta.com or +49 911 47715370. View Ginger Extract in the CONIUNCTA® shop. CONIUNCTA®: Raw materials, data and services for future-proof formulations.