PLT unveils water-soluble Rhodiola rosea amid adaptogen expansion

29 Nov 2022 --- PLT Health Solutions has begun offering its Rhodiolife Rhodiola rosea ingredient in a water-soluble form to US markets. According to the company, this has the potential to dramatically expand the types of consumer products into which it can be formulated, tapping the consumer trend for new and more convenient delivery systems.

PLT’s innovation partner Nektium Pharma is developing the product.

It included a full suite of applications and shelf life testing in beverages that confirm that water-soluble Rhodiolife will not impact the color or flavor of formulations and that the active components of the adaptogen remain stable through processing and consumer use.

Continued innovation in beverages
According to Devin Stagg, chief operating officer for PLT Health Solutions, the availability of a water-soluble form of Rhodiolife points to the continuing innovation Nektium is putting behind this ingredient, and he underscores that beverage formulation is challenging. 

The new form of Rhodiolife will expand the range of delivery systems for this adaptogen ingredient, says PLT.Nektium Pharma’s studies with Rhodiolife and beverage formulations show that it meets industry standards for performance in processing and that color, flavor and bioactives content are shelf-stable. 

“This means we can now deliver the benefits of Rhodiolife in beverages and other delivery systems,” he says. “The real innovation of this new water-soluble Rhodiolife is that it allows a premium Rhodiola rosea – containing the rosavin and salidroside found in the actual plant root – to be formulated into challenging beverage systems easily and consistently.”

This will allow faster and more cost-effective product development, adds Stagg.

Stability and quality retention
Studies conducted by Nektium Pharma used a low pH orange flavored formulation. 

Over the study period, it was confirmed that the introduction of Rhodiolife did not affect the Brix or pH of the orange beverage. There was no change in either the flavor or color profile. 

There was no change in total rosavins content. Previous studies with Rhodiolife have shown that its main bioactives – rosavins and salidroside – are resistant to thermal degradation as a powder and in aqueous solutions. 

In this study, pasteurization did not affect the orange beverage’s physical and sensory properties. 

Setting a standard for Rhodiola 
The availability of a water-soluble form of Rhodiolife broadens the product types that can take advantage of this ingredient, says PLT. 

To ensure consistent quality, Nektium’s Quality Assurance team conducts multiple identity tests on every batch of Rhodiolife, including macroscopic and sensory analysis, the development of chromatographic profiles and independent DNA barcode analysis to ensure the authenticity of the raw material. 

A gentle extraction process is used to unlock the active ingredients while preserving the natural phytochemical profile of the root. The material is then standardized to provide precise levels of bioactive compounds. The resulting HPLC “fingerprint” of the Rhodiolife extract is consistent from batch to batch and matches that of the native root.

According to Stagg, it is this fingerprint that signals to the consumer that they are getting a quality product. 

“Only Rhodiolife’s unique fingerprint composition consistently provides the spectrum of compounds in the plant’s root responsible for its biological activity – including rosavin, rosarin, rosin and salidroside. With Rhodiolife, not only is the percentage of the primary actives the same as the root but so is the ratio of actives. This is not the case with many other Rhodiola rosea ingredients on the market,” he comments.With Rhodiolife, not only is the percentage of the primary actives the same as the root but so is the ratio of actives.

Meanwhile, Deborah Thoma, marketing manager of Nektium Pharma, discusses the motivation behind and impact of this new Rhodiolife product form. 

“Successful beverage formulations require very special performance parameters from their ingredients. Our testing has shown we have accomplished this task. This new form of Rhodiolife can deliver adaptogen benefits into virtually any beverage product – and also into foods that feature the use of aqueous phase production,” Thoma explains.

Root of innovation
This water-soluble version of Rhodiolife is part of a continuous innovation program surrounding this ingredient. 

In September, PLT and Nektium began offering Rhodiolife made from a cultivated source of root materials. The cultivation program was the result of more than a decade of effort focused on achieving a physical and phytochemical profile identical to previously supplied wildcrafted material. 

The new form of Rhodiolife will expand the range of delivery systems for this adaptogen ingredient.

Earlier this year, Nektium expanded its botanical ingredient offerings into the F&B arena for the first time. The move means that its clinically researched, branded plant extracts – such as Zynamite and Rhodiolife – can now be used beyond supplements, for example sports and energy beverages, dairy products, gummies and cereal bars.

Edited by Elizabeth Green