Plant extract is a kind of product that takes plants as raw materials, according to the use needs of the final product, through the physical and chemical extraction and separation process, directional acquisition, and concentration of one or more effective components in plants without changing the structure of the effective components. It can be used as raw materials and widely used in food, beverage, medicine, health care products, cosmetics and other downstream industries.

There are many kinds of plant extracts, and their classification methods are also various. According to the content of its active components, it can be divided into three categories: effective monomer extract, standard extract and ratio extract. According to its components, it can be divided into glycosides, acids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, etc. According to its product morphology, it can be divided into vegetable oil, extract, powder, crystal, etc. According to its use, it can be divided into natural pigment products, traditional Chinese medicine extract products, extract products and concentrated products.

At present, there are nearly 100 kinds of plant extracts popular in the world, including antioxidants: grape seed extract, green tea extract, pine bark extract, etc.; immunomodulators: ginseng extract, Gynostemma extract, Ganoderma lucidum extract; improving cardiovascular function: Ginkgo biloba extract, lotus seed extract, Rhodiola extract, etc.; sedatives: valerian extract. Moreover, there are the natural pigments include lycopene, purple potato extract, etc. Also, there are functional sweeteners like licorice extract, stevia extract, etc.

There are various kinds and functions of plant extracts, which can be divided into five kinds: coloring, flavor output, pharmacological effect, health function and application as dietary supplements.

Plant pigment is the main component of plant color. The pigment content in some plants is extremely rich, which can be used for pigment extraction. There are dozens of plant pigments available in China, such as curcumin, safflower yellow, radish red, beet root red, sorghum red, chili red, etc.

Plant extracts are often abundant in characteristic components, which can effectively stimulate the senses, such as sweeteners and volatile substances. Natural sweeteners are popular new sweeteners at present. It not only has outstanding sweetness, but also is an ideal substitute for sucrose, with significant health effects, such as stevioside and Mogroside. Essential oil is a concentrated volatile substance, which is often used in the preparation of spices. It is also the industry with the lowest application threshold in plant extracts, with small regulatory restrictions.

The use of Chinese herbal medicine has a long history. In recent years, driven by the concept of traditional Chinese medicine, it has developed rapidly.

The components of plant extracts include glycosides, acids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, etc. Most of these components have been proved to have biological activity in the research and have the effect that cannot be ignored on human health. The development of their health functions has become the mainstream application trend of plant extracts.

In addition, most of the prebiotics used as food additives come from plants, such as inulin, fructooligosaccharides, glucomannan, soybean oligosaccharides, dietary fiber and gum.