Myristica fragrans Houtt. · Family: Myristicaceae · Seed Kernel Extract
A warm, aromatic nutmeg kernel extract standardised for volatile oil 5–15% by GC, with myristicin and safrole reported on every batch. Prepared from the seed kernel of Myristica fragrans for digestive-comfort, evening-relaxation, oral-care and functional-beverage formulators. Aflatoxin-tested, CoA-backed supply from India.
Standardised Grade
Myristica fragrans · Volatile Oil by GCA volatile-oil-standardised active from one fruit that yields two spices
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) is botanically unusual: a single fruit yields two distinct spices. The seed kernel is nutmeg; the lacy red aril wrapped around it is mace — a separate article of commerce with its own pricing and chemistry. This extract is prepared from the kernel only, and that distinction belongs on the specification, because "nutmeg extract" and "mace extract" are conflated surprisingly often in trade documents. In Ayurveda the kernel is jatiphala, a warming carminative with a long traditional association with digestive comfort and restful evenings.
The kernel's functional identity sits in its volatile-oil fraction — monoterpenes such as sabinene and the pinenes carrying the aromatic ethers myristicin, elemicin and safrole — held in a fixed-oil matrix dominated by trimyristin. SV Botanica standardises this extract for volatile oil at 5–15% by GC, with myristicin and safrole quantified and reported on every batch CoA. That last point matters commercially: myristicin defines the material's identity, while safrole is a monitored constituent in food law, so a buyer formulating foods or beverages needs the actual figure, not an assumption.
Nutmeg carries one more sourcing reality that most botanicals do not: it sits among the highest-risk spices for aflatoxin, and appears in the EU's increased-official-controls regime for exactly that reason. Every SV Botanica batch is aflatoxin-tested by HPLC-FLD against limits tighter than the EU spice thresholds, with the raw-material kernel grade declared — sound sorted kernels, not the broken-wormy-punky (BWP) distillation grade where the risk concentrates.
The extract is finished as a free-flowing, light tan to yellowish-brown powder. We supply supplement brands, functional-food and beverage manufacturers, oral-care formulators and Ayurvedic houses, with a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis on every shipment.
The volatile-oil and lignan chemistry of the nutmeg kernel
The signature aromatic ether of nutmeg, typically the defining constituent of the kernel's volatile oil. Quantified by GC and reported on every batch CoA as the identity and dose-calculation marker.
A closely related phenylpropanoid ether that co-occurs with myristicin. The myristicin-to-elemicin proportion is a fingerprint of genuine M. fragrans kernel and part of our GC profile check.
A minor natural constituent that food law treats as a monitored substance — the EU flavouring regulation caps its level in finished foods. Reported per batch so buyers can run their own compliance arithmetic.
The monoterpene hydrocarbons that make up the bulk of the volatile oil and carry nutmeg's fresh, warm aroma. Their proportion collapses in spent or exhausted material, making them a useful freshness indicator.
The kernel is rich in fixed oil, dominated by trimyristin — the source of nutmeg butter. The fixed-to-volatile oil balance is a genuine processing variable between extract grades.
Non-volatile phenolic lignans of the kernel studied as research-stage constituents; they distinguish full-spectrum kernel extracts from oil-only preparations.
Why formulators specify a volatile-oil-standardised nutmeg extract — the functional role of the markers
The volatile-oil fraction is where nutmeg's aroma and functional identity live. A declared 5–15% GC figure lets formulators dose on a verified oil load rather than a vague extract ratio, and holds the sensory profile stable batch to batch.
Nutmeg is a classical warming carminative — jatiphala in Ayurveda — with centuries of food and traditional use behind the digestive-comfort category. That heritage gives brands a recognisable, label-friendly spice active that needs no consumer education.
The nutmeg-in-warm-milk tradition anchors the material's position in evening-comfort and relaxation blends, typically alongside valerian, chamomile or ashwagandha. The positioning is traditional; the standardised extract simply makes the inclusion consistent and declarable.
Myristicin defines identity; safrole is capped in finished foods under EU flavouring rules. Both are quantified by GC on every CoA, so a formulator can calculate per-serving loads and document compliance instead of estimating from literature values.
Nutmeg is among the highest-aflatoxin-risk spices in trade, and EU import controls treat it accordingly. Sound-kernel raw material, declared trade grade and HPLC-FLD aflatoxin testing on every batch make this extract specifiable for regulated markets.
A free-flowing powder passing ≥95% through a 40-mesh sieve blends and disperses predictably in capsules, tablets, chai premixes and gummy bases, while the declared oil content lets you hold flavour intensity constant across production runs.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
The core specification for the volatile-oil-standardised flagship, plus ratio, oleoresin and organic options
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nutmeg Extract 5% VO Standard | Volatile oil NLT 5% (GC); myristicin & safrole reported | Light tan to yellowish-brown fine powder, ≥95% through 40 mesh | Digestive-comfort & evening-relaxation supplements, capsules & tablets | Partially water-soluble |
| Nutmeg Extract 10–15% VO High volatile oil | Volatile oil 10–15% (GC) | Yellowish-brown fine powder, strongly aromatic | Low-dose formats, flavour-forward blends, oral-care actives | Partially water-soluble |
| Nutmeg Extract Ratio Full-spectrum | Native 4:1 / 10:1 ratio (full-spectrum) | Light tan to yellowish-brown fine powder | Ayurvedic & traditional jatiphala formats, herbal blends | Grade-dependent |
| Nutmeg Oleoresin Oleoresin | Volatile-oil content declared per batch | Viscous orange-brown liquid | Seasoning systems, bakery, beverages & flavour applications | Oil-dispersible |
| Organic Nutmeg Extract Certified organic | Volatile oil declared per batch; certified chain | Light tan to yellowish-brown fine powder | Organic-certified supplement & food lines | Partially water-soluble |
The volatile-oil-standardised grade is our CoA-backed flagship, assayed by GC with identity confirmed by TLC and the myristicin, elemicin and safrole profile reported per batch. Native-ratio (full-spectrum) extracts, oleoresin, certified organic grades, custom mesh and packaging can be quoted against buyer specification and order volume. Every batch is released against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis.
Full product specification for Nutmeg Dry Extract (volatile-oil-standardised grade). Values are specification limits, not batch results; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Myristica fragrans Houtt. | — |
| Plant Family | Myristicaceae | — |
| Part Used | Seed kernel (nutmeg; excludes mace aril) | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Raw-Material Grade | Sound sorted kernels (trade grade declared; not BWP) | Declaration |
| Appearance | Fine powder | Organoleptic |
| Colour | Light tan to yellowish-brown* | Organoleptic |
| Odour | Characteristic, warm aromatic | Organoleptic |
| Taste | Characteristic, warm, slightly bitter | Organoleptic |
| Identification | Corresponds to myristicin — positive | By TLC |
| Loss on Drying (at 105°C, % w/w) | NMT 5.0 | IP-2014 |
| Bulk Density (g/ml) | NLT 0.35 | IP-2014 |
| Particle Size (#40 mesh, % w/w) | NLT 95 | Sieve |
| Total Ash (% w/w) | NMT 5 | IP-2014 |
| Acid Insoluble Ash (% w/w) | NMT 1 | IP-2014 |
| Volatile Oil (% w/w) | 5.0 – 15.0 (grade as ordered) | By GC |
| Myristicin (% w/w) | Reported per batch | By GC |
| Safrole (% w/w) | Reported per batch | By GC |
| Residual Solvent (Ethanol, ppm) | NMT 5,000 | By GC |
| Lead (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Arsenic (ppm) | NMT 1.0 | ICP-MS |
| Cadmium (ppm) | NMT 0.3 | ICP-MS |
| Mercury (ppm) | NMT 0.1 | ICP-MS |
| Pesticide Residues | Complies (EU MRL, on request) | GC-MS / LC-MS/MS |
| Ethylene Oxide (ETO) | Not treated — declaration provided | LC-MS/MS (on request) |
| Aflatoxins B1 / Total (ppb) | NMT 2 / NMT 4 | HPLC-FLD |
| Total Plate Count (cfu/g) | NMT 1,000 | USP <2021> |
| Yeast & Moulds / Fungi (cfu/g) | NMT 100 | USP <2021> |
| Escherichia coli | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Salmonella sp. | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Cultivation | Cultivated | Declaration |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| Shelf Life | 24 months from date of manufacture, in original packed condition | — |
| Storage | Cool, dry place away from light and moisture, in tightly sealed containers | — |
*The product is of herbal origin; slight colour variation may occur due to geographical and seasonal variation in the raw material. Volatile oil is standardised by GC and identity is confirmed by TLC; myristicin, elemicin and safrole are quantified per batch. Our aflatoxin limits (B1 NMT 2 ppb, total NMT 4 ppb) are tighter than the EU maximum levels for nutmeg as a spice. A current Certificate of Analysis and MSDS are issued with every batch. EU pesticide MRL and ethylene oxide reports are available on request.
From sorted kernel to standardised extract — authenticated, aflatoxin-tested, documented
Raw Material & Authentication: The extract is prepared from sound, sorted kernels of cultivated Myristica fragrans — the trade grade is declared, and BWP (broken-wormy-punky) distillation-grade material is excluded, because defective kernels are where nutmeg's aflatoxin risk concentrates. Identity is confirmed by TLC against myristicin, and the GC profile — myristicin, elemicin, safrole, sabinene — is checked against the fingerprint of genuine kernel, which also screens out the classic adulterant Myristica malabarica (Bombay nutmeg).
Manufacturing & Testing: Nutmeg Dry Extract is manufactured at certified facilities in India. Each batch runs through a full QC battery — volatile oil and marker profile by GC, loss on drying, bulk density, ash and acid-insoluble ash, mesh, residual solvent by GC, heavy metals by ICP-MS, aflatoxins by HPLC-FLD, pesticide residue screening, and a complete USP microbiological panel — before release.
Documentation: Every shipment is supplied against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with an MSDS. Halal, Kosher and Organic certification are available. Because nutmeg is both a recognised ethylene-oxide risk category and a high-priority aflatoxin material at EU import, we supply non-ETO declarations, per-batch aflatoxin results and EU MRL screening on request — see our guides on EU pesticide MRL compliance and EU import requirements for botanical extracts.
What backs every batch of Nutmeg extract
Key information for global product registration and labelling
Used as a botanical active in supplement, functional-food and beverage formats, the extract is supplied to a defined volatile-oil specification with myristicin and safrole quantified per batch. Nutmeg has centuries of food use in essentially every market, which anchors its regulatory position; buyers formulating foods should note that safrole is a restricted flavouring substance with maximum levels in finished foods under EU Regulation 1334/2008, and should run that arithmetic from the batch CoA. Buyers remain responsible for determining suitability and for compliance with the relevant food-supplement regulations in their market. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) kernel extract is an established cosmetic ingredient with a recognised INCI listing, used in warming, fragrant and toning formats and in oral-care preparations. As an active input it should be used within the buyer's finished-product safety assessment; SV Botanica supplies the material specification and CoA to support that dossier.
Supplied from India by SV Botanica — FSSAI registered and an APEDA-registered exporter. Kerala's plantation belt has made India a significant and growing nutmeg producer, giving direct access to sorted, traceable kernel. Because nutmeg appears in the EU's increased-official-controls regime for aflatoxin, every batch ships with HPLC-FLD aflatoxin results on the Certificate of Analysis, with export documentation available on request.
Deep-dive articles on nutmeg extract for formulators, buyers, and brand owners
How to specify nutmeg extract by volatile oil and myristicin, what a CoA must show, and the aflatoxin question to ask first.
TechnicalWhat the GC assay measures, the myristicin–elemicin–safrole profile, and why kernel and mace are different specifications.
QualityBombay nutmeg, spent kernel, BWP-grade material and undeclared carriers — and the GC fingerprint that catches them.
ApplicationsDigestive, evening-comfort, oral-care and beverage formats — which nutmeg grade fits each, and the safrole arithmetic.
ProcurementA scored checklist for qualifying a nutmeg extract supplier, weighted for the aflatoxin and kernel-grade risks.
MarketOne fruit, two spices, four markets — where nutmeg extract demand is growing and what moves its price.
Frequently co-formulated with Nutmeg Extract in digestive, evening-comfort & warming spice blends
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
Volatile-oil-standardised, aflatoxin-tested, fully documented supply of Myristica fragrans kernel extract. Myristicin and safrole reported per batch by GC. Samples available for qualified buyers.