Red clover
Red clover suppliers and sourcing guide
Red clover is Trifolium pratense, a perennial legume grown for forage across Europe and North America. The flowering tops are dried and sold whole or cut for tea and as powder, and extracts made from the flowers, tops and leaves are standardized to isoflavones (biochanin A, formononetin, genistein and daidzein) by HPLC. Isoflavone extracts and tea-grade blossoms are bought as separate materials.
- Category
- Botanicals and mushrooms
- Also known as
- Trifolium pratense · red clover blossom · red clover isoflavone extract
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of red clover
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Dried blossoms
Whole or cut flowering tops for tea and infusions.
Herb powder
Dried, milled tops for capsules and blends.
Isoflavone extract
Hydroalcoholic extract standardized to a declared total isoflavone percentage, commonly 8 to 40 percent.
Organic
Blossoms or extract from certified organic farms, with the certificate tied to the lot.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Identity (HPTLC)
- Fingerprint against Trifolium pratense reference material.
- Isoflavone assay (HPLC)
- Biochanin A, formononetin, genistein and daidzein by HPLC, reported individually and as total aglycones.
- Residual solvents
- For extracts, results against USP <467> or the buyer's spec.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS, checked against the buyer's limits and any Prop 65 exposure targets.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli and Salmonella (often Staphylococcus aureus too).
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue screen by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, required for organic claims and commonly requested for conventional material.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Store blossoms and extract sealed in lined containers, cool, dry and dark. Blossoms brown and lose color with light and moisture, and extracts cake if left open. Suppliers set shelf life or retest dates and repeat the isoflavone assay for standardized grades.
Lots and expiry dates
Isoflavone profile varies with cultivar, plant part and harvest stage. Record supplier lot, plant part and isoflavone breakdown, and rotate first-expiry-first-out.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 182.20 lists clover (Trifolium spp.) 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)FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists red clover tops extract solid (Trifolium pratense) as a flavoring agent or adjuvant, citing 21 CFR 182.20.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's red clover isoflavone extract monograph lists Trifolium pratense flower, herb top and leaf as source parts.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Trifolium pratense (POL-NF-00755) lists an infusion of the flowers as not novel in food and the aerial parts as not novel in food supplements.
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.
Red clover suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking red clover suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell red clover? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of red clover can brands buy?
Common forms include dried blossoms, herb powder, isoflavone extract and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for red clover include?
Expect identity (HPTLC), isoflavone assay (HPLC), residual solvents, heavy metals, microbiology and pesticide residues, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should red clover be stored?
Store blossoms and extract sealed in lined containers, cool, dry and dark. Blossoms brown and lose color with light and moisture, and extracts cake if left open. Suppliers set shelf life or retest dates and repeat the isoflavone assay for standardized grades.
What is the regulatory status of red clover?
21 CFR 182.20 lists clover (Trifolium spp.) among essential oils, oleoresins (solvent-free) and natural extractives generally recognized as safe for their intended use. FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists red clover tops extract solid (Trifolium pratense) as a flavoring agent or adjuvant, citing 21 CFR 182.20. Health Canada's red clover isoflavone extract monograph lists Trifolium pratense flower, herb top and leaf as source parts. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Trifolium pratense (POL-NF-00755) lists an infusion of the flowers as not novel in food and the aerial parts as not novel in food supplements.
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