Alfalfa
Alfalfa is Medicago sativa, a perennial legume grown worldwide as a forage crop. The ingredient trade uses the aerial parts (leaf and stem), harvested before or at early bloom, then dried and milled to a powder, and also sells alfalfa juice powder and extracts. Seed is sold separately for sprouting. Buyers usually purchase leaf powder by mesh size for tablets, powders and greens blends.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Dried, milled aerial parts with nothing removed. Sold by mesh size and usually not standardized; color and chlorophyll content vary with harvest.
Pressed juice from fresh alfalfa, concentrated and dried, often on a carrier such as maltodextrin, for drink mixes and greens powders.
Water or hydroalcoholic extract of the herb, dried to a powder; some grades declare a saponin or chlorophyll content.
Leaf or juice powder from certified organic fields, with the organic certificate tied to the lot.
Whole seed for sprouting, sold under separate microbiological specifications from the herb.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store alfalfa powder sealed in lined bags or drums in a cool, dry, dark place; light and moisture fade the green color and allow mold growth. Reseal opened containers and keep them off the floor. Shelf life or retest date comes from the supplier's specification and is often confirmed with a color and microbiology check.
Color, protein and chlorophyll content vary with cutting, field and drying method, so check each lot against the COA and a retained sample. Record the supplier lot, country of origin and retest date at receiving and rotate stock first-expiry-first-out.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 182.10 lists alfalfa herb and seed (Medicago sativa L.) among spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings generally recognized as safe for their intended use.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 182.20 also lists alfalfa among essential oils, oleoresins (solvent-free) and natural extractives generally recognized as safe for their intended use.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Medicago sativa (POL-NF-00499) concerns the aerial parts and lists them as not novel in food.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Distributor · Norway, IA
Frontier Co-op is a member-owned cooperative in Norway, Iowa, that sources and sells bulk herbs, spices, teas and botanicals by the pound, with a separate wholesale site for business buyers.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include leaf powder, juice powder, extract, organic and seed. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect identity, moisture / loss on drying, heavy metals, microbiology, pesticide residues and physical tests, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store alfalfa powder sealed in lined bags or drums in a cool, dry, dark place; light and moisture fade the green color and allow mold growth. Reseal opened containers and keep them off the floor. Shelf life or retest date comes from the supplier's specification and is often confirmed with a color and microbiology check.
21 CFR 182.10 lists alfalfa herb and seed (Medicago sativa L.) among spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings generally recognized as safe for their intended use. 21 CFR 182.20 also lists alfalfa among essential oils, oleoresins (solvent-free) and natural extractives generally recognized as safe for their intended use. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Medicago sativa (POL-NF-00499) concerns the aerial parts and lists them as not novel in food.
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