Hibiscus
The hibiscus used in food and drinks is Hibiscus sabdariffa (roselle), an annual grown in West Africa, Sudan, Mexico, China and Thailand. The fleshy red calyces around the seed pod are harvested, dried and sold whole, cut for tea, or milled to powder; water extracts are spray dried for drink mixes and used as a red, acidic flavoring. Ornamental Hibiscus species are a different material.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Whole flowers (calyces) sold by color, size and origin for drinks and further processing.
Calyces cut and sifted to a uniform size for tea bags and blends.
Calyces milled to a powder for drink mixes, gummies and seasonings.
Water extract, often spray dried with a carrier, sold by color strength or anthocyanin content.
Calyces from certified organic farms, with the certificate tied to the lot.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Keep calyces, tea cut, powder and extract sealed in lined bags or drums, cool, dry and out of direct light. Powders and dry extracts pick up moisture and cake once opened, so reseal containers and limit time open on the production floor. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification, and the marker assay is usually repeated at retest.
Color, acidity and anthocyanin content vary with origin, harvest and drying, so compare each lot's color and assay against an approved sample. Record origin and harvest year, and rotate stock first-expiry-first-out because the red color fades with time and light.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 172.510 lists roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) among natural flavoring substances that may be safely used in food.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) as a flavoring agent or adjuvant, citing 21 CFR 172.510.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Hibiscus sabdariffa (POL-NF-00401) concerns the flowers and records them as not novel.
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.
Distributor · Sacramento, CA
Starwest Botanicals is a Sacramento company that mills and sells bulk organic herbs, spices, teas and botanical powders by the pound and in 25 lb bags, with wholesale accounts for businesses.
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 whole dried calyces, tea cut, powder, extract and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect identity, anthocyanins and acidity, heavy metals, microbiology, pesticide residues and physical tests, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Keep calyces, tea cut, powder and extract sealed in lined bags or drums, cool, dry and out of direct light. Powders and dry extracts pick up moisture and cake once opened, so reseal containers and limit time open on the production floor. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification, and the marker assay is usually repeated at retest.
21 CFR 172.510 lists roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) among natural flavoring substances that may be safely used in food. FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) as a flavoring agent or adjuvant, citing 21 CFR 172.510. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Hibiscus sabdariffa (POL-NF-00401) concerns the flowers and records them as not novel.
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