Ellagic Acid Guide — A 3 mg Dose and Choosing Between 10% and 80% Grades
What ellagic acid is
Ellagic acid is a polyphenol found in pomegranate and berries among other sources. For supplement use it is supplied as a plant extract. J-STAGE returns 207 papers (41 from 2020 onward) — a smaller research base than large materials such as GABA or glucosamine. This is a material where the function-claim record runs ahead of the literature.
It is not a food additive. Ellagic acid appears in neither of the lists we maintain — 476 designated additives and 327 existing additives — and is handled as a food raw material.
The notifications cluster on a single claim
Aggregating the Consumer Affairs Agency’s notifications by functional ingredient name, ellagic acid totals 338 notifications across 153 companies (232 alone, 106 in combination).
What stands out is that the positioning is almost entirely one thing. The notified wording is overwhelmingly:
- “supports the reduction of body weight, body fat, blood triglycerides, visceral fat and waist circumference in those who are somewhat overweight, and helps improve an elevated BMI” — 138 notifications
Where GABA runs in two directions (blood pressure and sleep) and glucosamine splits its wording by form, ellagic acid has essentially one exit. That is simple to plan around, but it also means differentiation cannot come from the claim wording. The 106 combination notifications exist for that reason — pairings with black ginger-derived polymethoxyflavone, olive-derived hydroxytyrosol and plant-derived lactic acid bacteria appear among them.
Permissible wording and the daily intake reference differ by notification, and notification is filed on the responsibility of the notifying party.
A 3 mg dose decides the sourcing
Notified content per daily intake reference is overwhelmingly 3 mg (167 notifications once notation variants are combined). Designs at 47 mg and other figures exist, but 3 mg can be treated as the standard.
This is the fork in the road. Because ellagic acid is supplied as a plant extract, the assay of the material itself differs by product. FONTIA carries two grades.
- Ellagic Acid (Rhus javanica derived, 10%) — Rhus javanica extract, ellagic acid 10.0% min. (HPLC)
- Ellagic Acid (Rhus javanica derived) — Rhus javanica extract, ellagic acid 80.0% min. (HPLC)
To deliver 3 mg of ellagic acid a day you charge about 30 mg of the 10% grade, or about 3.75 mg of the 80% grade — an eight-fold difference that changes both the dosage form and the material cost.
- 10% grade — 30 mg charged makes content uniformity easier to achieve in tableting, but it consumes formulation space
- 80% grade — 3.75 mg charged is very small; it will not blend uniformly without a premix with excipient. It does save formulation space
Comparing on unit price alone will mislead you every time. Compare on material cost per daily dose, then add handling in the dosage form.
Source — Rhus javanica and African mango
The notifications split into two naming conventions.
- Ellagic acid (source not in the ingredient name) — 203 notifications
- African mango-derived ellagic acid — 23
Where the source is written into the notified ingredient name, the same name cannot be used unless the material comes from that source. If you are designing a product against an existing notification, check which convention it uses first. What FONTIA supplies is Rhus javanica derived.
What to confirm on the specification
- Assay and its basis — “ellagic acid ○% min.” or “as the preparation”. Settle this first, together with the method (HPLC)
- Source plant — Rhus javanica or otherwise. Bears on the notified ingredient name
- Extraction solvent and residual solvent — standard specification items for a plant extract
- Particle size — decides whether a premix is needed when using the 80% grade
- Heavy metals and pesticide residues — required for plant-derived material
- COA per lot — lot-to-lot variation in assay feeds straight into formulation accuracy
Discussing your requirement
For specifications, samples or a quotation, use the contact form and include the intended daily intake, dosage form, and preferred grade (10% or 80%). If a combination is planned, tell us the partner ingredient and we can advise on formulation space as well.
Related: functional ingredients
FAQ
Should I choose the 10% or the 80% grade?
Delivering 3 mg a day takes about 30 mg of the 10% grade or about 3.75 mg of the 80% grade — an eight-fold difference. Take the 10% grade for ease of handling if formulation space allows; take the 80% grade to save space, noting that at 3.75 mg a premix with excipient is required for uniform blending.
What daily intake is typical?
3 mg dominates the notifications (167). Designs at other figures such as 47 mg exist, but 3 mg can be treated as the standard.
What claims are being notified?
Almost a single direction: supporting the reduction of body weight, body fat, blood triglycerides, visceral fat and waist circumference in those who are somewhat overweight, and helping improve an elevated BMI — 138 notifications.
Does the source affect the notification?
Yes. Twenty-three notifications name “African mango-derived ellagic acid”, writing the source into the ingredient name; in that case the same name requires material from that source. FONTIA supplies Rhus javanica derived material.
Is it a food additive?
No. It appears in neither of the lists we maintain — 476 designated additives and 327 existing additives — and is handled as a food raw material.
Can you supply small quantities for trials?
Yes. Please tell us the grade, intended daily dose, quantity and required delivery date.