Rosemary Leaves
Rosemary leaves are the dried needle shaped leaves of Salvia rosmarinus, formerly classified as Rosmarinus officinalis, an evergreen shrub of the mint family. The leaf carries an essential oil fraction of 1 to 2.5 percent dominated by 1,8-cineole, camphor, alpha-pinene, camphene and borneol, which accounts for its pungent, camphoraceous and resinous aroma.
Alongside the volatile fraction the leaf contains the phenolic diterpenes carnosic acid and carnosol and the phenolic ester rosmarinic acid. Those compounds are potent chain breaking antioxidants and are the reason rosemary is the source plant for the natural antioxidant extracts used to protect fats and oils, a role quite separate from the culinary use of the leaf itself.
The trade article is whole dried leaf, cut and sifted material, or milled powder, dark green to grey green with a hard brittle texture. Moisture is held around 8 to 10 percent. The leaf is woody and does not soften much in cooking, so it is often used whole and removed, or milled fine where it must stay in the dish. Aroma is lost steadily on storage as the volatile oil escapes, so material is packed in a moisture and vapour barrier and stored cool.
We source bulk Rosemary Leaves from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturer is in Henan. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
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- Function
- Plant extract
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Dark green to grey green needle shaped dried leaf |
| Odour and Taste | Characteristic camphoraceous and resinous, pungent |
| Moisture | ≤ 10.0% |
| Volatile Oil | ≥ 1.0 ml per 100 g |
| Stem and Extraneous Plant Matter | ≤ 3.0% |
| Foreign Matter | ≤ 0.5% |
| Total Ash | ≤ 8.0% |
| Acid Insoluble Ash | ≤ 1.0% |
| Particle Size | Cut and sifted, 2 to 4 mm |
| Lead | ≤ 3.0 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 1.0 mg/kg |
| Cadmium | ≤ 1.0 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | ≤ 100,000 cfu/g |
| Yeast and Mould | ≤ 1,000 cfu/g |
| E. coli | Negative |
| Salmonella | Absent in 25 g |
Common Markets Grades
Grading works on cut size and cleanliness. Whole leaf is specified on colour, the proportion of stem and the absence of foreign matter, cut and sifted grades are defined by sieve fractions typically between 2 and 8 millimetres, and ground rosemary is quoted on mesh. Volatile oil content in millilitres per hundred grams is the analytical figure that separates a strong lot from a weak one, and buyers for culinary use specify a minimum.
Beyond the culinary grades the same leaf feeds an extract trade. Rosemary extracts standardised on carnosic acid, commonly at 5, 10, 25 or 60 percent, are sold as antioxidants, and deodorised and decolourised versions are made where the rosemary aroma would be unwanted in the finished food. Steam distilled rosemary essential oil and solvent oleoresin are separate articles. Organic certified leaf is widely available, and steam or irradiation treated lots are declared, since untreated dried herb typically carries a high aerobic count.
Applications
- Meat seasoning and marinades, particularly for lamb, pork and poultry, where the resinous character stands up to roasting
- Processed meat and sausage formulations, added both for flavour and for its antioxidant effect on the fat
- Bread, focaccia and savoury bakery, where whole or coarsely cut leaf is worked into the dough or scattered on top
- Herb blends such as herbes de Provence and Italian seasoning, where it is a defining component
- Soups, stocks and braising liquids, usually as whole leaf that is strained out
- Infused oils and vinegars, where the volatile fraction transfers into the liquid
- Snack seasonings and potato products, using milled leaf in a topical blend
- Natural antioxidant applications in edible oils, fried snacks and pet food, using the standardised extract rather than the leaf
- Herbal teas and infusions, taken as a single botanical or in blends
- Cosmetic and personal care formulations, where rosemary oil and extract are used for fragrance and antioxidant activity
Brands Using Rosemary Leaves
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Rosemary Leaves on the ingredient label.
- BulkSupplementsUrsolic Acid (Rosemary Leaf Extract) Capsules ↗Capsule of ursolic acid that the brand states is sourced from rosemary leaves.Label verified 2026-08-31
- Curio Spice Co.Rosemary, Sicilian ↗Dried Sicilian rosemary sold as a culinary herb for meats, vegetables and baking.Label verified 2026-08-31
Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.
China Manufacturers of Rosemary Leaves
Top Rosemary Leaves manufacturers in China.
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
Regulatory Status
In the United States rosemary is a spice generally recognised as safe, listed among the spices and other natural seasonings and flavourings at 21 CFR 182.10, with rosemary oil and oleoresin appearing in the essential oils and natural extractives listing at 21 CFR 182.20. Rosemary extract used as an antioxidant is marketed on a self affirmed or notified GRAS basis and is declared on labels according to its function, with the distinction between a flavouring use and an antioxidant use affecting how it appears in the ingredient statement.
In the European Union the dried leaf used as a herb is a food and carries no E number, and rosemary flavouring preparations fall under Regulation 1334/2008. Rosemary extract used as an antioxidant is a different matter: it is an authorised food additive with the number E 392, regulated under Regulation 1333/2008, with purity criteria including minimum carnosic acid and carnosol content set in Regulation 231/2012, and permitted uses defined by food category. The Joint FAO WHO Expert Committee has evaluated rosemary extract as an antioxidant, and Codex includes it in the general standard for food additives while also maintaining a standard covering dried herbs.
Manufacturing Process
Rosemary is cut from cultivated or managed wild stands, usually before or at the start of flowering when the volatile oil content is highest, and the harvested branches are moved to drying within hours. Drying is done in the shade or in hot air tunnels at 35 to 45 degrees Celsius, with the temperature kept low because the volatile fraction is driven off at higher heat and the leaf darkens. Moisture is taken from around 65 percent down to below 10 percent.
Dried branches are threshed so that the leaf separates from the woody stem, and the leaf is passed over vibrating screens and aspirators that remove stalk, fibre and dust. Optical or gravity sorting and metal detection follow, then the leaf is either packed whole or cut and sifted to the specified fraction, or milled with cooling to limit oil loss. Where microbial reduction is required, the material is given a short saturated steam cycle or is treated by irradiation, then re-dried and cooled. Leaf destined for extract manufacture is diverted before packing and is extracted with ethanol, acetone or supercritical carbon dioxide. The solvent is recovered under vacuum and the crude concentrate is standardised on carnosic acid and, where required, deodorised by molecular distillation.
