Fisetin vs Quercetin: Not Interchangeable in a Formula
Fisetin vs Quercetin: Not Interchangeable in a Formula WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 Written by Flora, reviewed by Prof. Bingji Ma, updated September 2026 Fisetin and quercetin are both flavonols, and they differ by a single hydroxyl group. Quercetin carries five; fisetin lacks the one at position 5 and carries four.[1] That small […]
Bakkenolide B and Butterbur Leaf Extract: The Other Half of Petasites japonicus
Bakkenolide B and Butterbur Leaf Extract: The Other Half of Petasites japonicus WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 Written by Flora, reviewed by Prof. Bingji Ma, updated September 2026 The short answer Bakkenolide B is a sesquiterpene lactone. It is the principal bakkenolide in the leaves of Japanese butterbur, Petasites japonicus, and the usual […]
Total Petasins Explained: Petasin, Isopetasin and How to Specify Butterbur Extract
Total Petasins Explained: Petasin, Isopetasin and How to Specify Butterbur Extract WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 Written by Flora, reviewed by Prof. Bingji Ma, updated September 2026 The short answer Total Petasins is the combined content of petasin, isopetasin and neopetasin, the three isomeric sesquiterpene esters used to standardise butterbur root extract. Specifications […]
Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Butterbur: Why the Standard EU Panel Misses Petasites japonicus
Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Butterbur: Why the Standard EU Panel Misses Petasites japonicus WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 Written by Flora, reviewed by Prof. Bingji Ma, updated September 2026 The short answer Butterbur contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), compounds that can damage the liver and are treated as genotoxic carcinogens. In Japanese butterbur, Petasites japonicus, […]
Petasites japonicus vs Petasites hybridus: Japanese and European Butterbur Compared
Petasites japonicus vs Petasites hybridus: Japanese and European Butterbur Compared WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 Written by Flora, reviewed by Prof. Bingji Ma, updated September 2026 “Butterbur” names at least two species that share a genus and little else. Petasites hybridus is the European plant behind the clinical literature. Petasites japonicus is the […]
Ube Powder Not Purple? How to Tell a Bad Lot From the Real Thing
Ube Powder Not Purple? How to Tell a Bad Lot From the Real Thing WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 21, 2026 This article is written for food and beverage product development, sourcing and marketing professionals. Colour values quoted are from published studies of specific products and will differ in your matrix; the wet-colour and acid […]
Ube Powder vs Ube Extract vs Ube Flavoring: What the Labels Actually Say
Ube Powder vs Ube Extract vs Ube Flavoring: What the Labels Actually Say WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 21, 2026 This article is written for food and beverage product development and sourcing professionals. It summarises labelling, flavouring and additive regulations in the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom as we understand them […]
Ube Powder for Beverage Formulation: Color, Flavor, Dispersibility and Stability
Ube Powder for Beverage Formulation: Color, Flavor, Dispersibility and Stability WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 21, 2026 This article is written for food and beverage product development professionals and describes ingredient behaviour in formulation. It is not nutritional or medical advice and makes no health claims. Several figures cited here are drawn from work on […]
Stevia vs Allulose: Sweetness, Taste, Functionality & Food Formulation
Stevia vs Allulose: Sweetness, Taste, Functionality & Food Formulation WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 20, 2026 “` Written by Flora, reviewed by Prof. Bingji Ma, updated September 2026 Stevia and allulose are often grouped together as sugar alternatives, but they solve very different formulation problems. High-purity steviol glycosides are roughly 200–400 times sweeter than sucrose […]
Trilobatin as a Bitterness Blocker: What the Evidence Actually Shows
Trilobatin as a Bitterness Blocker: What the Evidence Actually Shows WRITTEN BY Flora / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 Written by Flora, reviewed by Xinjuan Xu, Associate Professor, updated September 2026 Search “natural bitterness blocker” and you will find a dozen supplier pages telling you that trilobatin removes the bitter aftertaste of stevia. None of them cite […]