Botanical / Botanicals
Vegetable raw material (almost always dehydrated) intended for industrial use (supplements, flavourings, spirits, cosmetics).
Officinal plant
Medicinal, aromatic, and perfume plants, as well as algae, macroscopic fungi, and lichens intended for the same uses.
Herbal drug
Part of the plant used for productive purposes, fresh or dried, according to the definition in the pharmacopoeia. The part of the plant richest in active ingredients is usually used.
Medicinal Plant
Any plant that contains substances that can be used for therapeutic or preventive purposes or that are precursors of chemopharmaceutical synthesis.
Dried Plant
Plant that has undergone a natural and/or artificial drying process to bring the residual moisture to less than 12%.
Botanical Species
Scientific identification according to binomial nomenclature (genus + species).
Traceability
Ability to reconstruct the origin and path of the batch.
Whole
Drug not fragmented and/or cut
Extraction cut
Calibrated cut for industrial use
0.1 – 30 mm
Herbal tea cut / Course cut
Plants intended for aqueous preparations such as decoctions, infusions or macerates.
Cut 4 – 15 mm sieved.
Tea bag cut
Plants with a similar cut for use in a tea bag. These are often referred to as brisure, filter cut, and granulated.
0.2 – 2 mm
Powder
Homogeneous solid preparations obtained by grinding the dry drug.
Reduced to powder 99% < 500 µm.
Superpowder
Powder with very fine grain size 99% < 200 µm also called micronized.
Juice
Preparations obtained by squeezing the plant or parts of it, consisting of the liquid parts contained in the plant tissues.
Dry Extract Concentrated extract free of significant residual solvent.
DER (Drug Extract Ratio)
Ratio between initial drug and extract obtained.
Gum
A clear, hard substance that exudes from the bark of various plants following trauma and then hardens. The resulting gums are soluble and swellable in water but insoluble in organic solvents. Heat treatment turns them into gelatin.
Resin
Plant exudate that originates from essential oils, more specifically from terpenes, through polymerization and oxidation. They are physiological and natural if they flow spontaneously, or pathological if they result from trauma.
Bioload
Total count of microorganisms.
Total ash
Mineral residue after incineration.
Granulometry
Particle size distribution.
Marker
Reference compound for quality control.
Active ingredient
Component responsible for biological activity.
Humidity
Residual water content.
Pesticide residues
Traces of pesticides.
Titre
Guaranteed minimum content of an active compound.
Natural drying
Drying without the use of artificial heat.
Controlled drying
Drying in temperature-regulated chambers.
Cryogenic grinding
Grinding at very low temperatures to preserve volatile compounds.
Steam sterilization
Reduction of microbial load through saturated steam.
Supercritical CO₂ extraction
Selective technology without residual solvents.
Botanicals
Plant ingredients allowed in supplements.
Novel Food
Ingredient not consumed in the EU before 1997.
BelFrIt List
Shared list Italy-Belgium-France for botanical use.
Health claim
Authorized functional indication.
Maceration
Immersion of the botanical in an alcoholic solvent.
Percolation
Dynamic extraction by continuous passage of solvent.
Distillation
Separation of volatile components by evaporation.
Aromatic notes
Top note – Heart note – Base note.
Flavour
The overall sensation that includes taste and smell and other sensory sensations such as heat and cold detected by the trigeminal nerve. A characteristic of foods and beverages produced by stimulation of the sensory organs at the entrance to the digestive and respiratory tracts.
A complex and concentrated mixture of odour or taste-modifying substances that, with or without solvents or carriers, is used exclusively to add or enhance a particular odor or flavour to foods (except those that are salty, sweet, sour or umami). Not suitable for direct consumption.
Natural flavour
Flavour containing exclusively natural flavouring substances and natural flavouring preparations as the aromatic component. If the term “natural” is associated with the name of the food product in the name, the aromatic component must come almost exclusively from the food product itself.
Absolute
A natural mixture of odorous substances obtained through cold extraction with alcohol from a concrete or resinoid. Free of waxes, fats, and other non-odorous components. Readily soluble in aromas.
Balm
Product of exudation of a normally pasty plant.
Concrete
Product obtained from fresh plants by extraction with volatile organic solvents and subsequent evaporation.
Essence
Synonym for citrus essential oil but often mistakenly used for aroma.
Maillard reaction
Chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars, that occurs with heat, responsible for the browning and characteristic flavours of cooked or toasted foods, like bread, grilled meat and coffee.
Oleoresin
Total extract of a spice or plant obtained by extraction with volatile organic solvents. It contains both the more volatile aromatic part (essential oil) and the less volatile part.
Essential oil
A complex mixture of organic plant substances, characterised by being extremely volatile, evaporates easily, and hydrophobic, does not mix with water.
Flavouring preparation
Product obtained from plant material through physical processes.
Umami
One of the five basic tastes, alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. It refers to a savoury, rich, brothy flavour, caused by glutammate and similar amino acids, found in foods like parmesan cheese, ripe tomatoes, mushrooms, and soy sauce.
Herbal Drug vs. Extract
The drug is the raw material; the extract is the transformed product.
Natural vs. Organic
Natural does not imply organic certification.
Titre vs. DER
The titre indicates the concentration of the marker; the DER indicates the raw material/extract ratio.
Natural flavour vs. Natural-identical flavour
The former comes exclusively from a natural source; the latter may contain synthetic molecules.
Aerial Part vs. Leaf
Herba includes leaves, stems, and sometimes flowers; Folia refers only to leaves.
Why are some roots cut thickly? To preserve essential oils and reduce oxidation.
Why does particle size influence extraction? Greater surface area = greater yield, but possible degradation of volatile compounds.
Why isn’t color always an indicator of quality? It can vary depending on cultivar, harvest, and drying.
Why does some bark have high ash content? Possible natural presence of minerals or earth contamination.
Why can the same species have different compositions? Influence of terroir, climate, altitude, harvest period.
Aetheroleum
• Essential oil
Aetheroleum ex pericarpo
• Essential oil obtained from pericarp
Albumen seminis
• Seed endosperm
Amylum
• Starch
Amylum ex medulla
• Starch obtained from medulla
Balsamum
• Balsam
Bulbus
• Bulb
Capitula
• Flower heads: inflorescences
Caulis
• Caulis: stem of a herbaceous plant
Caulis (cladodium)
• Caulis (cladodium): green stem or twig, which resembles and has the functions of a leaf
Caulis cum floribus
• Stem with flowers
Conus
• Cone also called pine cone: flower or inflorescence similar to an ear with bracts and woody and persistent axes
Cortex arboris
• Tree bark
Cortex ex radicibus
• Bark obtained from the roots
Cortex ex ramis
• Bark obtained from the branches
Cortex ex trunco
• Bark obtained from the trunk
Cortex sine subere
• Bark without cork (aubier/alsano)
Cyanobacteria
• Cyanobacterium
Embryum
• Embryo
False-fructus
• False-fruit
False-fructus (pomum)
• False fruit (pomo)
Flos
• Flowers
Folium
• Leaf system often of a tree plant
Folium cum floribus
• Leaves with flowers
Fructus
• Includes both the fruit and the seeds contained (e.g. Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae)
Fructus (pars media fructus)
• Fruit (middle part of the fruit)
Fructus (pericarpum et semen)
• Fruit (pericarp and seed)
Fructus densatus
• Fruit concentrate
Fructus germinatus (malt)
• Germinated fruit (malt)
Fructus immaturus
• Immature fruit
Fructus sine semine
• Fruit without seed
Fungus
• Whole fungal body
Galbuli
• Juniper seeds, commercially called “berries”
Gall
• Gall
Gelum sine cute
• Gel without epidermis
Gemma florum
• Flower bud
Germen
• Germ
Gummi
• Gummi
Gummi ex ramis
• Gummi obtained from branches
Gummi ex seminibus
• Gummi obtained from seeds
Gummi-resin
• Gummi-resin
Herba
• Aerial part (green only)
Herba cum floribus
• Aerial part with flowers
Herba cum radibus
• Aerial part with roots
Hypogaeus caulis
• Hypogean caule
Involucrum seminis
• Seed envelope
Latex
• Latex
Lignum
• Wood
Lignum (lympha)
• Wood (sap)
Lignum duramen sine fermento
• Unfermented duramen wood
Ligula
• Ligulate flowers
Lympha
• Sap
Manna
• Manna
Oleum ex semine
• Oil obtained from seed
Oleum germinis
• Oil obtained from the germ
Oleum-gummi-resina
• Oleo-gum-resina
Oleum-resina
• Oleo-resina
Pedunculus
• Peduncle
Pericarpum
• Pericarp: external part of the fruit
Pinea
• Pine cone
Pix
• Vegetable tar
Pollen
• Pollen
Pulpa fructus
• Fruit pulp
Pulvis
• Powder
Radiculae
• Radicles
Radix
• Root
Radix tuberosa
• Tuberized root
Hooked branches
• Curved branches and hooks
Ramulus
• Young branch
Ramus
• Branch
Ramus cum foliis et floribus
• Branch with leaves and flowers
Resin
• Resin
Rhizoma
• Rhizome: horizontal, underground plant stem that grows sideways just below the soil surface
Rhizoma cum Radicibus
• Rhizome with roots
Sarmentum
• Sarment: runner
Sclerotium
• Compact mass of hardened fungal mycelium containing food reserves
Semen
• Seed
Sporae
• Spores
Sporophorum
• Fruiting body
Spuma
• Pureé
Stigmata
• Stigmas
Stipites
• Stipes
Stipites cum foliis et floribus
• Stipes with leaves and flowers
Stolones
• Stolons
Strobilus
• Cone
Succus
• Juics
Succus inspissitus
• Concentrated juice
Summitas
• Aerial parts / Tops
Summitas cum floribus
• Herbaceous aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers)
Surculi
• Young shoots
Tegumen seminis
• Seed coat
Thallus
• body of an alga, a fungus, a lichen or a moss
Truncus
• Trunk
Tuber
• Plant that develops a thick, fleshy underground structure used to store food, water, and nutrients