Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. · Family: Brassicaceae · Seed Oleoresin
Mustard's heat is made, not stored — the enzyme myrosinase generates allyl isothiocyanate only when the seed meets water. That chemistry governs how the extract behaves, and mustard is also one of the 14 declarable allergens in the EU and UK. We declare AITC by GC and supply full allergen documentation as standard.
Enzyme-generated heat, and a labelling obligation
Mustard oleoresin is the solvent-extracted concentrate of Brassica juncea seed — brown or Indian mustard — used across condiments, sauces, dressings, processed meat and pickles wherever mustard pungency is wanted in a concentrated, uniformly dispersing form. India is among the world's largest mustard producers.
The chemistry explains how the product behaves. The intact seed contains sinigrin, a glucosinolate that is not itself pungent. When the seed is crushed and wetted, the enzyme myrosinase hydrolyses sinigrin to allyl isothiocyanate — AITC — the sharp, volatile compound responsible for mustard's characteristic nasal heat. Mustard pungency is created on contact with water, not stored in the seed.
AITC is also volatile and reactive, which has practical consequences a formulator should plan for: pungency dissipates with heat and over time, is affected by pH, and can diminish in storage. Mustard heat is not a stable background note in the way capsaicin heat is.
The second controlling fact is regulatory. Mustard is one of the 14 allergens requiring mandatory declaration in the EU and UK, and like celery it must be declared at any level. Undeclared mustard is a recurring cause of recalls, frequently arriving inside a compound seasoning or via shared equipment. We supply full allergen documentation as standard alongside AITC by GC and volatile oil per batch.
How the pungency is generated
The pungent principle and the marker for this material — sharp, volatile, responsible for mustard's characteristic nasal heat rather than a tongue burn.
The glucosinolate present in the intact seed. Not pungent itself; converted to AITC by myrosinase on contact with water.
The enzyme that performs the conversion. Its behaviour explains why mustard pungency develops on wetting and why heat treatment changes the outcome.
Minor isothiocyanates contributing to the overall profile and included in the characterisation.
Collectively the aroma and pungency, declared per batch.
Mustard proteins are the basis of the allergen classification, which attaches to the ingredient in any form, extracts included.
Why formulators specify a documented mustard oleoresin
Mustard is declarable at any level in the EU and UK. The documentation ships with the material rather than being chased later.
The pungent principle assayed per batch — the figure that predicts heat, on a compound that is volatile and variable.
Reported per batch, since AITC's volatility makes the fraction a live specification rather than a formality.
Seed is the source of the glucosinolate system; the part is declared.
Solvent named and tested every batch — the defining control on any solvent-extracted product.
India is among the world's largest mustard producers, giving depth of raw material.
These are functional and physico-chemical properties of the actives; SV Botanica does not make medical or therapeutic claims for this ingredient.
Pungency grades and dispersible forms
| Grade | Standardisation | Form | Best For | Solubility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mustard Oleoresin (Standard) Standard | AITC by GC; volatile oil declared | Amber to brown viscous liquid | Condiments, sauces, dressings, pickles | Oil-soluble |
| Mustard Oleoresin (High AITC) High pungency | Elevated AITC; volatile oil declared | Amber viscous liquid | Low-inclusion dosing, sharp-heat products | Oil-soluble |
| Mustard Oleoresin Dispersible Dispersible | Plated or emulsified; AITC declared | Free-flowing powder | Dry seasoning blends, dry mixes | Dispersible |
| Mustard Essential Oil Quoted separately | Distilled volatile fraction — very high AITC | Pale yellow mobile liquid | Speciality and traditional applications | Oil-soluble |
| Mustard Seeds (Whole / Ground) Quoted separately | Whole spice — not an extract | Brown or yellow seed | Tempering, pickles, traditional cooking | — |
Every grade ships with full allergen documentation, because mustard's declarable status applies to the ingredient in any form and at any level. Buyers should plan for it in labelling, shared-equipment cleaning validation and supplier questionnaires. On the technical side, remember that AITC is volatile and reactive: pungency dissipates with heat and over time, and is affected by pH, so the heat delivered in a finished product is not simply the heat measured in the drum. Dose against the finished matrix, particularly where processing involves heat. Where a grade is standardised with a carrier, the carrier and inclusion level are named, along with the carrier's own allergen status.
Full product specification for Mustard Oleoresin, standard grade. Values are specification limits, not batch results; a batch-specific CoA is issued per shipment.
| Parameter | Specification / Limit | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Source | Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. | — |
| Plant Family | Brassicaceae | — |
| Part Used | Dried seed | — |
| Country of Origin | India | — |
| Appearance | Viscous liquid | Organoleptic |
| Colour | Amber to brown* | Organoleptic |
| Odour & Taste | Characteristic of mustard, sharply pungent | Organoleptic |
| Allyl Isothiocyanate (AITC) | Declared per batch | By GC |
| Volatile Oil (% v/w) | Declared per batch | Distillation |
| Allergen Declaration | Mustard — declarable allergen (EU/UK); documentation supplied | Declaration |
| Part Used | Seed only | 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. Two features of this product need planning for. The first is chemical: mustard pungency comes from allyl isothiocyanate, generated when the enzyme myrosinase acts on the glucosinolate sinigrin in the presence of water — the intact seed is not pungent. AITC is volatile and reactive, so pungency dissipates with heat and over time and is influenced by pH. The heat delivered in your finished product will not equal the heat measured in the drum, and dosing should be assessed in the finished matrix, particularly where the process involves heating. The second is regulatory: mustard is one of the 14 allergens requiring mandatory declaration in the EU and UK, at any level and in any form including extracts. Undeclared mustard is a recurring recall cause, usually through carry-over on shared equipment or an unexamined compound seasoning rather than deliberate use. Full allergen documentation ships with every batch. Residual solvent is named and tested by GC every batch.
From seed to declared oleoresin — AITC-assayed, allergen-documented
Raw Material: Produced from Brassica juncea seed sourced from Indian growing regions. India is among the world's largest mustard producers. Because the pungency system depends on an intact enzyme and its substrate, handling and processing conditions upstream materially affect the AITC the finished extract can deliver.
Extraction & Testing: Produced at certified facilities in India. Each batch is assayed for allyl isothiocyanate by GC and volatile oil by distillation. Residual solvent is tested by GC against the named solvent. Contaminant testing covers moisture, heavy metals by ICP-MS, aflatoxins, 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 AITC, 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 Mustard Oleoresin oleoresin
Key information for global product registration and labelling
Mustard is one of the 14 allergens requiring mandatory declaration in the EU and UK, and as with celery the obligation applies at any level and to mustard in any form — seed, flour, prepared condiment, extract or oleoresin. Undeclared mustard is a recurring cause of product recalls and food-safety notifications, and the root cause is rarely deliberate use: it is normally carry-over on shared equipment, or mustard arriving inside a compound seasoning, sauce base or condiment that nobody interrogated. Practical implications: build mustard into your allergen matrix and cleaning validation rather than only your label; ask every compound-ingredient supplier whether mustard is present in any form; check whether a standardised grade's carrier introduces further allergen considerations; and ensure downstream customers are informed, since their labelling depends on knowing. We supply full allergen documentation with every batch as standard.
A formulation point that catches out buyers moving from mustard flour to oleoresin. Mustard pungency is generated when myrosinase acts on sinigrin in the presence of water, and the resulting allyl isothiocyanate is volatile and reactive. Pungency therefore dissipates with heat, diminishes over shelf life, and is influenced by pH. The heat you measure in the incoming material is not the heat your consumer experiences, and a product that tastes right at manufacture can read flat months later. Dose against the finished matrix, assess pungency after processing rather than before, and account for shelf-life decline in the specification you set.
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 mustard growing regions. 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 mustard specification and food industry use
AITC, pungency stability and allergen handling for industrial users.
RegulatoryCelery and mustard share the same absolute obligation — what that means in practice.
RegulatoryResidue limits and screening for India-origin ingredients.
RegulatoryDocumentation, controls and border expectations for Indian botanicals.
Other pungent and savoury oleoresins from our range
Technical and commercial questions answered by our ingredients team
AITC by GC, volatile oil and residual solvent declared per batch — with full allergen documentation as standard, because mustard 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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