Apium graveolens L. · Family: Apiaceae · Seed Oleoresin
Celery is one of the 14 declarable allergens in the EU and UK, and unlike most it carries no threshold — it must be declared at any level. That makes allergen documentation part of the specification rather than an attachment. We supply it as standard, alongside phthalides by GC and volatile oil per batch.
A savoury workhorse that carries a labelling obligation
Celery seed oleoresin is the solvent-extracted concentrate of Apium graveolens seed — a savoury workhorse used across soups, stocks, sauces, processed meat, snack seasoning and the celery salt that underpins a great deal of savoury manufacturing. India is a significant producer of celery seed for the extract trade.
Its characteristic aroma comes from phthalides — principally sedanolide and 3-n-butylphthalide — a compound class largely unique to celery and closely related plants, which is why nothing else quite substitutes for it in a savoury base.
The controlling fact about this ingredient, however, is regulatory rather than sensory. Celery is one of the 14 allergens requiring mandatory declaration in the EU and UK, and unlike allergens where a quantitative threshold applies in practice, celery must be declared at any level. Even trace carry-over into a product that does not intend to contain celery creates a labelling obligation, and undeclared celery is a recurring cause of product recalls and food-safety notifications in Europe.
So on this ingredient the allergen documentation is not an attachment to the specification — it is part of it. We supply full allergen documentation as standard, declare the phthalide profile by GC and volatile oil per batch, and name the solvent with its residual level.
What carries the savoury character
A principal phthalide of celery seed and a defining contributor to its characteristic savoury, celery-note aroma.
The other major phthalide, contributing the deep, slightly medicinal celery character that makes this ingredient hard to substitute.
Supporting phthalides completing the profile used to characterise genuine celery seed material.
The dominant monoterpene by proportion, contributing fresh citrus top notes but little of the distinctive celery character.
Collectively the aroma, declared per batch as on any aroma-led seed spice.
Celery proteins are the basis of the allergen classification. The allergen status attaches to the ingredient regardless of form, including extracts and oleoresins.
Why formulators specify a fully documented celery seed oleoresin
Celery is declarable at any level in the EU and UK. The documentation ships with the material rather than being requested later.
Sedanolide and butylphthalide reported — the compound class that makes celery hard to substitute.
Reported per batch, since aroma is the commercial value on a seed spice with no pungent principle.
Seed is the concentrated aromatic part; stalk and leaf material differ and are excluded.
Solvent named and tested every batch — the defining control on any solvent-extracted product.
Disperses uniformly where ground seed separates, with far more aroma per kilo.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Volatile oil grades and dispersible forms
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery Seed Oleoresin (Standard) Standard | Volatile oil declared; phthalides by GC | Dark green-brown viscous liquid | Soups, stocks, sauces, processed meat | Oil-soluble |
| Celery Seed Oleoresin (High Volatile) Aroma-led | Elevated volatile oil; phthalides declared | Green-brown viscous liquid | Flavour-critical applications, low inclusion | Oil-soluble |
| Celery Seed Oleoresin Dispersible Dispersible | Plated or emulsified; phthalides declared | Free-flowing powder | Celery salt, dry seasoning blends | Dispersible |
| Celery Seed Essential Oil Quoted separately | Distilled volatile fraction only | Pale yellow to orange mobile liquid | Flavour and fragrance applications | Oil-soluble |
| Celery Seeds (Whole / Ground) Quoted separately | Whole spice — not an extract | Small brown seed or powder | Traditional and visible-spice applications | — |
Every grade ships with full allergen documentation, because celery's declarable status applies to the ingredient in any form — extracts and oleoresins included — and at any level. Buyers should plan for that in labelling, in shared-equipment cleaning validation and in supplier questionnaires, not treat it as paperwork to chase after purchase. Where a grade is standardised with a carrier, the carrier and inclusion level are named — and carriers matter here for a second reason, since they can carry their own allergen considerations that must be assessed alongside the celery itself.
Full product specification for Celery Seed Oleoresin, standard grade. Values are specification limits, not batch results; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Apium graveolens L. | — |
| Plant Family | Apiaceae | — |
| Part Used | Dried seed (fruit) | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Appearance | Viscous liquid | Organoleptic |
| Colour | Dark green-brown* | Organoleptic |
| Odour & Taste | Characteristic of celery seed, savoury and aromatic | Organoleptic |
| Phthalide Profile | Sedanolide / 3-n-butylphthalide — declared per batch | By GC / GC-MS |
| Volatile Oil (% v/w) | Declared per batch | Distillation |
| Allergen Declaration | Celery — declarable allergen (EU/UK); documentation supplied | Declaration |
| Part Used | Seed only — stalk and leaf excluded | Declaration |
| Solubility | Oil-soluble; dispersible grade available | — |
| Carrier / Diluent | Declared with inclusion level and allergen status | Declaration |
| Moisture (% w/w) | NMT 1.0 | Karl Fischer |
| Residual Solvent | Solvent named; within permitted limits — every batch | 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 |
| Ochratoxin A (ppb) | NMT 10 | HPLC-FLD |
| Total Plate Count (cfu/g) | NMT 10,000 | USP <2021> |
| Yeast & Moulds (cfu/g) | NMT 100 | USP <2021> |
| Escherichia coli | Absent | USP <2022> |
| Salmonella sp. | Absent | USP <2022> |
| HS Code | 3301.90 | — |
| Kosher / Halal | Certified (on request) | Certification |
| Shelf Life | 24 months from date of manufacture, in original packed condition | — |
| Storage | Cool, dark place below 25°C, tightly closed, protected from light | — |
*Colour varies with grade and concentration. The allergen line is the one that changes how this ingredient must be handled. Celery is among the 14 allergens requiring mandatory declaration in the EU and UK, and it carries no practical threshold — it must be declared at any level, including where it arrives as an incidental component of a compound seasoning. Undeclared celery is a recurring cause of recalls and food-safety notifications in Europe, frequently arising from carry-over on shared equipment or from an unexamined ingredient in a purchased blend rather than from deliberate use. Practical consequences: build celery into your allergen matrix and cleaning validation, not just your label; check whether any carrier introduces further allergen considerations; and be aware that the status attaches to the ingredient in any form, extracts and oleoresins included. Full allergen documentation ships with every batch as standard. Residual solvent is named and tested by GC every batch.
From seed to declared oleoresin — profiled, allergen-documented
Raw Material: Produced from Apium graveolens seed sourced from Indian growing regions, principally Punjab. Seed is the concentrated aromatic part and the only part used; stalk and leaf material differ in profile and are excluded by declaration.
Extraction & Testing: Produced at certified facilities in India. Each batch is profiled by GC for phthalides — sedanolide and 3-n-butylphthalide — and assayed for volatile oil by distillation. Residual solvent is tested by GC against the named solvent. Contaminant testing covers moisture, heavy metals by ICP-MS, aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, pesticide residue screening and a full microbiological panel.
Documentation: Every shipment ships against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis together with full allergen documentation as standard, stating the phthalide profile, volatile oil, solvent and residual level, and carrier with inclusion level and its own allergen status where used, plus an MSDS. Halal, Kosher and Organic certification are available — see our guides on EU pesticide MRL compliance and EU import requirements.
What backs every batch of Celery Seed Oleoresin oleoresin
Key information for global product registration and labelling
This is the defining regulatory fact about the ingredient, and it deserves to sit above every technical consideration. Celery is one of the 14 allergens requiring mandatory declaration in the EU and UK, and unlike some allergens where practical thresholds operate, celery must be declared at any level. It applies to celery in any form — seed, stalk, extract, oleoresin, or as an unexamined component of a compound seasoning. The practical implications are concrete. Undeclared celery is a recurring cause of product recalls and food-safety notifications in Europe, and the usual root cause is not deliberate use but carry-over on shared equipment or celery arriving inside a purchased blend nobody interrogated. Buyers should build celery into their allergen matrix and cleaning validation, not merely their label copy; should check whether any carrier in a standardised grade introduces further allergen considerations; and should ensure downstream customers are informed. We supply full allergen documentation with every batch as standard rather than on request.
Every oleoresin is a solvent-extracted product, which makes residual solvent its defining quality control rather than an afterthought. Permitted extraction solvents and their maximum residues are set by the destination market's rules and differ by solvent class. We name the solvent used on every certificate and test each batch by GC. Buyers should confirm the solvent is permitted for their market and application — a supplier who will not name it has made that check impossible. Where a specific solvent system is required, it can be specified at order.
Supplied from India by SV Botanica — FSSAI Central Licence holder, Spices Board and APEDA registered exporter. Raw material is sourced from Indian celery seed growing regions, principally Punjab. Shipped against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis with export documentation available on request. This product is supplied as a food ingredient and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Guides on celery seed specification and allergen handling
Why celery must be declared at any level, and what that means for shared equipment.
RegulatoryResidue limits and screening for India-origin ingredients.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian botanicals.
Other savoury oleoresins from our range
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
Phthalides by GC, volatile oil and residual solvent declared per batch — with full allergen documentation as standard, because celery is declarable at any level. Samples for qualified buyers.
Supplied as a bulk ingredient for further manufacture. Buyers are responsible for compliance with the regulations of their destination market. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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