ALFALFA, EXTRACT (MEDICAGO SATIVA L.)

CAS: 84082-36-0 FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT

Alfalfa extract is a plant‑derived flavoring agent from Medicago sativa L. used as a flavor enhancer and adjuvant in foods; it appears in regulatory inventories under 21 CFR 182.20 as a natural extractive associated with flavoring use. It has been evaluated by expert flavor safety panels for GRAS status under FEMA but specific numeric regulatory safety limits such as ADI values are not identified in primary regulatory sources.

What It Is

Alfalfa extract (Medicago sativa L.) refers to a concentrated preparation derived from the alfalfa plant, a leguminous perennial widely cultivated for forage and other uses. This extract is characterized by a complex mixture of phytochemicals that can contribute flavor components to food formulations. In regulatory contexts, it is listed as a flavor enhancer, flavoring agent, or adjuvant with the CAS number 84082-36-0. In the U.S., it appears in flavor ingredient inventories and is referenced in connection with natural extractives and flavoring uses under 21 CFR 182.20, which pertains to essential oils, oleoresins, and extractives that are generally recognized as safe when used in accordance with good manufacturing practices. The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) has assigned a FEMA GRAS number to alfalfa extract (2013), reflecting its evaluation by an expert flavor panel and subsequent inclusion in FEMA’s flavor ingredient library, which is submitted for inclusion in the FDA’s Substances Added to Food inventory. This listing supports its use as a flavoring ingredient in foods and beverages when used to achieve its intended organoleptic effect. Consumers and professionals may also encounter the ingredient under other names such as lucerne extract, Medicago sativa extract, or simply alfalfa ext., all referring to preparations of the plant material used for flavoring purposes. While the extract is plant‑derived, its composition can vary depending on extraction methods and plant source, and it is not a single defined chemical entity but rather a botanical extract.

How It Is Made

Alfalfa extract is produced by harvesting the above‑ground plant material of Medicago sativa L. and subjecting it to solvent extraction processes to concentrate its soluble components. Common solvents include ethanol, water, or combinations that facilitate the transfer of flavor‑active constituents from the plant matrix into a liquid medium. The extraction process may involve maceration, percolation, or modern techniques such as supercritical fluid extraction, depending on the desired profile and scale of production. Once extracted, the solvent may be removed or reduced under controlled conditions to yield a concentrated extract that retains the characteristic green, herbaceous notes of alfalfa. The resulting material may be further processed by filtration, concentration, and drying steps, producing fluid extracts, concentrated liquids, or spray‑dried powders suitable for incorporation into various food systems. The overall process is designed to preserve desirable flavor attributes while meeting quality standards appropriate for food use. Specifications for purity and absence of contaminants are typically established by manufacturers in accordance with good manufacturing practices and any applicable regulatory guidelines. Because this ingredient is derived from a natural plant source, variability in composition can occur due to factors such as plant cultivar, growth conditions, and harvest timing.

Why It Is Used In Food

Alfalfa extract is used in foods primarily for its role as a flavor enhancer or flavoring agent. In formulations where a subtle green or vegetal note is desirable, it provides complexity and can complement other flavor ingredients. Its use as a flavor adjuvant means it may help integrate or modulate the overall flavor profile of a product without dominating the taste, supporting the sensory experience that manufacturers intend to deliver to consumers. Beyond sensory contributions, plant extracts like alfalfa are often perceived by consumers as natural, aligning with market demand for recognizable, plant‑derived components in culinary applications. In practice, alfalfa extract can be incorporated into savory products, beverages, sauces, dressings, and other items where its botanical character enhances or balances existing flavors. The expert evaluation that leads to FEMA GRAS status and inclusion in U.S. flavor inventories underscores its long history of use and the collective judgment of flavor safety panels regarding its appropriateness for use at levels consistent with good manufacturing practices. In addition to taste modulation, flavoring agents like alfalfa extract may interact with other ingredients to help maintain flavor integrity during processing and storage, although such functional effects are secondary to its primary role of contributing characteristic sensory notes.

Adi Example Calculation

Because alfalfa extract does not have a specific numeric acceptable daily intake (ADI) value established in the primary regulatory sources consulted, a hypothetical ADI example cannot be grounded in an official numeric limit. In general, illustrating an ADI calculation involves taking an established ADI value and applying it to a representative body weight to approximate a daily intake amount. For example, if a hypothetical additive had an ADI of X mg per kilogram body weight per day, a 70 kg adult could theoretically consume up to 70 * X mg per day without exceeding the ADI. However, without an explicit numeric ADI for alfalfa extract in the core JECFA database entries or other primary regulatory sources, this type of calculation remains illustrative and not specific to this ingredient.

Safety And Health Research

Safety evaluations of alfalfa extract focus on its history of use as a flavoring agent and botanical ingredient, rather than specific toxicological limits established by regulators. The inclusion of alfalfa extract in the FEMA flavor ingredient library reflects a review by expert panels of available data on its composition, use levels, and potential toxicological concerns, supporting its classification as a flavoring agent that can be used in food in accordance with good manufacturing practices and at levels consistent with intended flavor effects. Such evaluations are based on assessments of generally recognized uses of botanical extracts and consideration of their constituent compounds rather than specific chemical hazard assessments for a single entity. While botanical extracts can contain a range of phytochemicals, safety considerations typically revolve around ensuring that contaminants, residues, or unintended substances are controlled in manufacturing processes and that use levels in food products remain within ranges associated with historical consumption patterns. In the context of flavoring agents, regulators and expert panels review data on exposure, toxicological endpoints such as acute toxicity, and any available studies on genotoxicity or other hazards. Because alfalfa extract does not have a dedicated numerical ADI established by international expert committees in the publicly accessible JECFA database, definitive numeric safety limits and years of evaluation are not presented here. This absence reflects the nature of botanical flavorings, which are often evaluated as mixtures by expert panels rather than assigned single numeric ADI values in regulatory monographs.

Regulatory Status Worldwide

In the United States, alfalfa extract appears in the Substances Added to Food inventory maintained by the FDA as a flavoring substance that has been evaluated through expert panels and considered for use in food. It is referenced under 21 CFR 182.20, the section that includes essential oils, oleoresins, and natural extractives used in conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings that are generally recognized as safe when used in accordance with good manufacturing practices. The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) has assigned a FEMA GRAS number (2013) to this ingredient, reflecting its evaluation and inclusion in FEMA’s flavor ingredient library, which is submitted for consideration in the FDA’s inventory. However, neither the FEMA listing nor the presence in the FDA’s inventory constitutes a direct numeric regulatory approval such as a tolerance or specific numeric limit; instead, it supports its use as a flavoring ingredient under established regulatory frameworks. In other regions, botanical extracts used as flavoring agents may be subject to local food additive regulations or flavor ingredient inventories, and their use is typically governed by similar principles of good manufacturing practices. Formal E-number designations, which are specific to the European Union for authorized additives, are not identified for alfalfa extract in primary regulatory sources consulted here, and specific numeric acceptable daily intake (ADI) values from international bodies such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) are not explicitly found in the core JECFA database entries accessed. As such, alfalfa extract is generally considered for use based on expert safety evaluations and inclusion in flavor ingredient lists rather than strict numeric additive codes or ADI values in these jurisdictions.

Taste And Functional Properties

Alfalfa extract is typically described as imparting green, herbaceous, and mildly grassy flavor notes when used in flavor formulations. These sensory characteristics arise from a combination of volatile and non‑volatile compounds present in the botanical extract. The overall flavor influence is often subtle, enhancing or complementing other ingredients rather than providing a dominant taste note on its own. In terms of functional behavior, the solubility and stability of alfalfa extract can vary depending on how it is processed and formulated. In aqueous systems, the extract can disperse to contribute flavor, while in oil‑containing matrices it may interact differently with other flavor components. Its stability during heat processing or pH changes depends on the specific composition of the extract and the conditions of the food matrix, but botanical extracts in general can be sensitive to extreme processing conditions that may alter volatile profiles. While sensory descriptors such as "green" and "vegetal" are commonly associated with plant extracts like alfalfa, the extract’s contribution to a final food product’s taste depends on concentration and the presence of other flavoring ingredients. In many applications, it is used in combination with other natural or synthetic flavors to achieve a balanced and appealing sensory profile. Because it is a complex mixture rather than a single compound, alfalfa extract’s functional properties are characterized by the collective behavior of its constituent molecules.

Acceptable Daily Intake Explained

An acceptable daily intake (ADI) is a regulatory safety concept that represents an estimate of the amount of a substance that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable risk, based on toxicological data and conservative safety factors. ADIs are typically established by expert committees such as JECFA when sufficient data on dose‑related effects are available. For flavoring agents like alfalfa extract, specific numeric ADI values are not explicitly identified in the primary regulatory sources accessed here, and no numeric ADI is assigned in the core JECFA database entries for this ingredient. As a result, alfalfa extract’s safety assessment in food formulations is generally grounded in expert evaluations of its composition, use levels, and history of consumption, rather than explicit numeric ADIs. When regulators or expert panels consider botanical extracts, they often rely on historical data on traditional use, compositional analysis, and available toxicological studies to ascertain that typical consumption levels under good manufacturing practices do not pose appreciable health risks. The ADI concept helps regulators set usable safety benchmarks for additives with sufficient toxicological data, but for complex natural extracts where specific ADIs are not established, inclusion in flavor ingredient inventories and expert GRAS evaluations serve as the primary contexts for safety assessment.

Comparison With Similar Additives

Alfalfa extract can be compared with other botanical flavoring agents such as rosemary extract and celery seed extract, which are also used to impart characteristic sensory notes and botanical complexity to food products. Rosemary extract tends to provide aromatic herbal and slightly resinous notes and is often used in savory applications; it also has a well‑documented antioxidant role in certain formulations. Celery seed extract offers a distinct earthy and slightly bitter flavor profile and is used in seasonings and dressings to complement other flavors. Like alfalfa extract, these botanical extracts are typically evaluated based on historical use and expert safety assessments rather than singular numeric ADI values. Another comparison is with vanilla extract, a widely recognized flavoring derived from vanilla beans; vanilla extract imparts sweet, creamy, and floral notes and is similarly included in flavor ingredient inventories evaluated by expert panels. While the sensory attributes differ markedly, all these botanical extracts share common regulatory contexts in that they are plant‑derived and considered for use under frameworks that emphasize good manufacturing practices and flavor‑based use levels rather than numerical additive tolerances.

Common Food Applications Narrative

Alfalfa extract finds use in a range of food and beverage products where its subtle botanical notes can complement the overall flavor profile. In savory applications such as dressings, sauces, and seasonings, it adds a layer of green, herbaceous complexity that enhances other ingredients without overpowering them. Beverage formulations, including certain teas, botanical drinks, and flavored waters, may incorporate alfalfa extract to contribute to a natural, plant‑derived flavor character that aligns with consumer expectations for clean and recognizable ingredients. In products like soups, snack seasonings, and condiments, alfalfa extract may be used alongside other flavoring agents to round out the sensory experience and help achieve a harmonious balance. Frozen desserts and gelatins with botanical flavor themes sometimes include plant extracts like alfalfa to reinforce a natural taste profile. Its application is not limited to any single product category; rather, it serves as a versatile adjunct that food formulators can use to fine‑tune flavor nuances in diverse culinary contexts. Because alfalfa extract is evaluated by expert safety panels and included in flavor ingredient inventories, food manufacturers can reference established regulatory contexts when considering its use. This helps ensure that products containing alfalfa extract meet labeling and safety expectations, supporting its continued incorporation into items marketed for their natural flavor attributes.

Safety & Regulations

FDA

  • Notes: Included in FEMA GRAS inventory under 21 CFR 182.20 but no specific numeric approval levels identified in primary FDA regulations.
  • Regulation: 21 CFR 182.20

EFSA

  • Notes: No specific EFSA E number or numeric ADI identified in primary EFSA sources.

JECFA

  • Notes: No numeric ADI or JECFA evaluation year explicitly shown in the JECFA database for this ingredient.

Sources

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