Marigold Extract

Marigold Extract

Main Active Ingredients:
Lutein– CAS: 127-40-2 | 4% (feed grade), 10%, 50%, 80% by HPLC ｜ Zeaxanthin (ratio specified), cryptoxanthin ｜ free-form or ester
Application: eye-health & macular supplements, antioxidant multivitamin blends, functional foods (natural colorant E161b), animal nutrition (feed-grade pigmentation)
MOQ: 1KG (Certified Marigold Extract species: Tagetes erecta)
Certifications: FDA Registered, GMP, ISO, Kosher, Halal, Non-GMO

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Bulk Marigold Lutein Supplier (Tagetes erecta) — Lutein 4% Feed Grade, 10%, 50%, 80% | vs Calendula | B2B Wholesale

Written by Jonathan, Valeherb · Reviewed by Dr. Xiaoyan Qiu · Updated April 2026

Valeherb supplies Tagetes erecta (African/Aztec marigold) lutein extract across the purity spectrum — 4% (feed grade), 10%, 50%, and 80% lutein, with custom specifications available. Two botanicals share the common name “marigold” but serve completely different roles: Tagetes erecta is the world’s dominant commercial source of lutein and zeaxanthin for eye-health and food-colorant applications (this is Valeherb’s product line), while Calendula officinalis (pot marigold) is a different plant with a triterpenoid/flavonoid profile used in cosmeceutical and topical products. This guide leads with the Tagetes lutein line and includes a species comparison so buyers specify correctly.

Two Species, Two Applications: The Distinction Every Buyer Must Know

CRITICAL
The supplement industry routinely uses “marigold extract” to mean Tagetes erecta lutein; the cosmetic industry uses it to mean Calendula officinalis. These are entirely different plants with different active compounds, evidence bases, and regulatory pathways. A large share of marigold procurement inquiries arrive without species specification, and supplying the wrong species invalidates a label claim. Always confirm botanical Latin name, plant part, and active compound on the COA. Valeherb’s product is Tagetes erecta lutein; Calendula is included below for comparison only.
Species Common Name Primary Actives Main Application
Tagetes erecta (Valeherb product) African/Aztec marigold Xanthophyll carotenoids: lutein (dominant), zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin Eye-health supplements (macular pigment, blue-light/screen-exposure research areas); food colorant E161b; feed-grade pigmentation
Calendula officinalis (comparison) Pot marigold, garden marigold Triterpenoids (oleanolic, ursolic acid), flavonoids (isorhamnetin, quercetin), polysaccharides Cosmeceuticals, topical skin and wound-care products, inflammatory-pathway skincare

Tagetes erecta: Active Compounds and Available Grades

Lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate in the macula lutea, where they function as a natural optical filter for blue light and quench reactive oxygen species from phototransduction.[1] Tagetes erecta petals are the dominant commercial source of both. In the petal, lutein is present primarily as lutein esters (90–99%); commercial processing saponifies these to the free-form grade used in most clinical trials.

Grade Lutein Content Zeaxanthin Typical Application
Feed Grade 4% lutein Proportional Animal nutrition — poultry and egg-yolk pigmentation (feed use; not a human supplement specification)
10% Extract 10% lutein by HPLC Co-specified Eye-health capsules, softgels, multivitamin blends
50% Extract 50% lutein by HPLC Specified ratio available Higher-purity eye-health softgels
80% Extract 80% lutein by HPLC Specified ratio available High-purity macular-carotenoid formulations

Free-form (saponified) and ester forms are available across the supplement grades — specify the form in your inquiry.

SOURCING NOTE
Free-form (saponified) and esterified lutein have comparable bioavailability at standard supplemental doses — a 2024 randomized crossover study (Olmedilla-Alonso et al.) found both forms raised serum lutein after 15 days at 6 mg/day, with no clinically meaningful difference between forms.[2] Most clinical trials use the free-form grade; the ester grade is lower cost and common in food and feed applications. Feed-grade 4% material is intended for animal nutrition, not human supplement formulation.

Macular Carotenoid Research (Tagetes erecta)

NOTE
The research below characterises lutein and zeaxanthin in published studies, for informational purposes only. It is not a claim for any Valeherb product. Any claim on a finished product is the marketer’s responsibility to substantiate under applicable regulations.

AREDS2 and the Dose Benchmark

The AREDS2 (Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2) is the most cited clinical trial on macular carotenoid supplementation. It studied lutein plus zeaxanthin at 10 mg + 2 mg/day over five years in more than 4,000 participants in an age-related eye-disease population, and the 10 mg + 2 mg combination is widely referenced as the dose benchmark for macular-carotenoid formulations.[1]

Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD)

A 6-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial by Green-Gomez et al. (2020) in 81 healthy volunteers reported that lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin supplementation increased serum carotenoid concentrations and macular pigment optical density (MPOD) versus placebo — directly measuring the retinal-accumulation mechanism studied in relation to blue-light and screen-exposure research.[3] This research area extends the formulation target demographic beyond older age groups.

Calendula officinalis (Comparison — Not a Valeherb Lutein Product)

Calendula officinalis is included here only to help buyers distinguish it from Tagetes lutein; it is a different plant with a different mechanism, used in topical and cosmeceutical products rather than eye-health supplements.

  • Skin & wound-care research: A randomized clinical study by Giostri et al. (2022) examined standardized Calendula officinalis extract in acute hand wounds and reported a shorter mean epithelization time versus control.[4]
  • Inflammatory-pathway research: Flavonoids (isorhamnetin, quercetin derivatives) are studied for COX-2 and NF-κB pathway activity, of interest for sensitive-skin and redness formulations.
  • Skin-barrier & antioxidant: Polysaccharide and pigment fractions are studied in relation to barrier support and UV-induced oxidative stress in topical systems.

Formulation Applications (Tagetes erecta Lutein)

Application Recommended Grade Key Notes
Eye-health supplements (macular, blue-light) 10% / 50% / 80% lutein 10 mg lutein + 2 mg zeaxanthin per serving matches the AREDS2 dose reference[1]
Antioxidant multivitamin blends 10% carotenoid extract Commonly paired with bilberry anthocyanins in ocular-wellness blends
Functional food (natural colorant) 10% or standard powder EU approved as natural food colorant E161b; heat-stable in most processing conditions
Animal nutrition (pigmentation) Feed grade 4% Poultry skin and egg-yolk pigmentation; feed use only, separate from human supplement applications

Sourcing Criteria

Criterion What to Require
Species Documentation Latin name confirmed on COA: Tagetes erecta for eye-health/food/feed applications. “Marigold extract” without species is not an acceptable specification
Grade & Intended Use Specify the grade (4% feed, 10%, 50%, 80%) and intended use. Feed-grade material is for animal nutrition and should not be used in human supplements
Lutein Form Specify free-form (saponified) or ester form. Both are bioavailable at standard doses; free-form matches clinical-trial grades; ester is lower cost for food/feed
Lutein:Zeaxanthin Ratio Specify the ratio on the COA — AREDS2 used roughly 5:1 lutein:zeaxanthin. Confirm both are botanically derived; some suppliers blend in synthetic zeaxanthin
Third-Party COA Lutein (HPLC), zeaxanthin (HPLC), heavy metals (USP <232>), pesticide residues, microbial limits (USP <2021>), moisture — per batch
Stability Data Carotenoids are oxidation-prone — request accelerated stability data (40°C/75% RH). Microencapsulated grades offer better shelf stability in powder formats
CAUTION
Tagetes erecta carotenoids are generally well-tolerated at standard supplement doses (up to ~20 mg/day). Carotenodermia (yellow-orange skin discoloration) has been reported at very high doses but reverses on discontinuation and is not harmful. For the Calendula comparison: Calendula officinalis has known cross-reactivity with other Asteraceae plants (ragweed, chrysanthemum, chamomile), so allergen disclosure is advised for topical and oral products, and it is not recommended during pregnancy due to traditional-use concerns about uterine stimulation at high doses.

Regulatory Guidance

FDA NOTICE
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Required for all dietary supplement products sold in the United States.
  • US (DSHEA): Lutein and zeaxanthin are established dietary supplement ingredients. Any structure/function claim on the finished product is the marketer’s responsibility to substantiate and must carry the FDA disclaimer; eye-health and antioxidant structure/function claims are the more readily supported areas, drawing on AREDS2 and other published data. Disease claims (e.g., treating or preventing age-related macular degeneration) require drug (NDA) approval
  • EU (Food colorant): Lutein from Tagetes erecta is approved as natural food colorant E161b under EU Regulation 1333/2008 — one of the few botanical carotenoids with direct EU food-additive authorization
  • Feed use: Feed-grade Tagetes xanthophylls are regulated under animal-feed-additive frameworks, separate from human food and supplement rules — confirm the applicable feed-additive authorization for your market
  • EU (Herbal medicinal, Calendula): Calendula officinalis flower has a well-established-use monograph under the EMA (EMA/HMPC/179282/2010) for minor skin inflammation and wound healing — regulatory background for the comparison species[5]

References

[1] Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 Research Group. (2013). Lutein + zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids for age-related macular degeneration: the AREDS2 randomized clinical trial. JAMA, 309(19), 2005–2015. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.4997

[2] Olmedilla-Alonso B et al. (2024). Bioavailability of lutein from marigold flowers (free vs. ester forms): a randomised cross-over study to assess serum response and visual contrast threshold in adults. Nutrients, 16(10), 1415. doi:10.3390/nu16101415

[3] Green-Gomez M et al. (2020). The impact of formulation on lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin bioavailability: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study. Antioxidants, 9(8), 767. doi:10.3390/antiox9080767

[4] Giostri GS et al. (2022). Treatment of acute wounds in hand with Calendula officinalis L.: a randomized trial. Tissue Barriers, 10(3), 1994822. doi:10.1080/21688370.2021.1994822

[5] European Medicines Agency. (2012). Assessment report on Calendula officinalis L., flos. EMA/HMPC/179282/2010. ema.europa.eu

Reviewed byDr. Xiaoyan QiuBotanical Extract R&D Engineer · Associate Professor, Huaihua University. Research focus: medicinal plant resources, botanical extraction processes, and microbial fermentation technology — directly relevant to carotenoid (lutein) extraction and standardization.
Written byJonathanContent Editor, Valeherb. Specializing in botanical ingredient science communication for B2B nutraceutical and functional food markets.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only. All research referenced cites published peer-reviewed literature and is not intended as medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Products must comply with applicable regulations in the buyer’s jurisdiction. © 2026 Valeherb. All rights reserved.

FAQ

A1:No, and confusing them is the most common error in this category. Lutein comes from Tagetes erecta (African/Aztec marigold), the dominant commercial source of the xanthophyll carotenoids used in eye-health and food-colorant applications — this is what Valeherb supplies. Calendula officinalis (pot marigold) is a different plant with a triterpenoid and flavonoid profile used in topical and cosmeceutical products. Always confirm the Latin name on the COA; “marigold extract” without a species is not an acceptable specification.
A2:It depends on use and dose. The 4% grade is feed grade, intended for animal nutrition such as poultry and egg-yolk pigmentation, and is not a human-supplement specification. The 10% grade suits eye-health capsules and multivitamin blends, while 50% and 80% are higher-purity grades for concentrated softgels and macular-carotenoid formulations. For human supplements, choose 10–80% by HPLC and confirm the lutein-to-zeaxanthin ratio on the COA.
A3:Both are bioavailable at standard supplemental doses, so the choice is mainly about cost and matching clinical-trial grades. Free-form (saponified) lutein matches the grade used in most clinical trials, while the ester form is lower cost and common in food and feed applications. Specify the form in your inquiry, and for human supplements confirm the lutein and zeaxanthin content by HPLC per batch, plus the lutein-to-zeaxanthin ratio (clinical references use roughly 5:1).
A4:For human supplements, any structure/function claim is the marketer’s responsibility to substantiate and must carry the FDA disclaimer in the US; eye-health and antioxidant structure/function claims are the more readily supported areas, while disease claims such as treating or preventing age-related macular degeneration require drug approval. In the EU, Tagetes lutein is authorized as food colorant E161b. The 4% feed-grade material sits under animal-feed-additive regulation, which is a separate framework from human food and supplements, so confirm the applicable feed-additive authorization for your market and keep feed and human-supplement specifications clearly separated.

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