Flaxseed fiber
Flaxseed fiber suppliers and sourcing guide
Flaxseed fiber is a fiber-rich ingredient made from the seed of flax (Linum usitatissimum). It is sold as ground whole flaxseed, as partially defatted flax meal left after the oil is pressed out, or as hull-enriched fractions. Flax fiber combines insoluble fiber with mucilage, a soluble gum in the seed coat, and also carries protein, residual oil and lignans; golden and brown seed give lighter or darker powders.
- Category
- Fibers
- Also known as
- flax fiber · flaxseed meal · defatted flaxseed · Linum usitatissimum · linseed fiber
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of flaxseed fiber
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Milled whole flaxseed
Ground whole seed with all of its oil; the most common form.
Partially defatted flax meal
Press cake after cold pressing, milled; higher in fiber and protein and keeps longer than whole milled seed.
Flax hull fiber fractions
Seed coat fractions rich in fiber and mucilage.
Golden or brown flax
Golden seed gives a lighter, milder powder; brown is darker.
Organic
From certified organic flax, under organic certification.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Total dietary fiber
- Total, soluble and insoluble fiber by AOAC 991.43 or 2011.25, reported on an as-is or dry basis.
- Fat, peroxide value and free fatty acids
- Shows how much oil remains and whether it has started to oxidize.
- Cyanogenic glycosides
- Measured as hydrogen cyanide potential by an enzymatic or HPLC method.
- Cadmium and lead
- By ICP-MS; flax can take up cadmium from soil.
- Moisture
- Loss on drying; affects flow, caking and microbial stability.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella; flax has a history of Salmonella findings.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Milled flax oxidizes once the seed is broken, so keep it in sealed, oxygen-barrier or nitrogen-flushed packaging in a cool, dark place, refrigerated if possible. Partially defatted meal is more stable than full-fat milled seed. Suppliers set a best-before date that starts at milling.
Lots and expiry dates
Oil content, oxidation, cadmium and microbial counts vary by lot and origin, so check them on each COA. Record the milling date and seed color, and rotate lots first-expiring-first.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
GRN 280, for whole and milled flaxseed notified by Flax Canada 2015 as an ingredient in foods excluding meat and poultry products, closed on Aug 24, 2009 with FDA having no questions; it covers whole and milled seed, not separated fiber fractions.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's flaxseed natural health product monograph lists the dry seed of Linum usitatissimum as the source material.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Flaxseed fiber suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking flaxseed fiber suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell flaxseed fiber? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of flaxseed fiber can brands buy?
Common forms include milled whole flaxseed, partially defatted flax meal, flax hull fiber fractions, golden or brown flax and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for flaxseed fiber include?
Expect total dietary fiber, fat, peroxide value and free fatty acids, cyanogenic glycosides, cadmium and lead, moisture and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should flaxseed fiber be stored?
Milled flax oxidizes once the seed is broken, so keep it in sealed, oxygen-barrier or nitrogen-flushed packaging in a cool, dark place, refrigerated if possible. Partially defatted meal is more stable than full-fat milled seed. Suppliers set a best-before date that starts at milling.
What is the regulatory status of flaxseed fiber?
GRN 280, for whole and milled flaxseed notified by Flax Canada 2015 as an ingredient in foods excluding meat and poultry products, closed on Aug 24, 2009 with FDA having no questions; it covers whole and milled seed, not separated fiber fractions. Health Canada's flaxseed natural health product monograph lists the dry seed of Linum usitatissimum as the source material.
More fibers
- Inulinchicory root fiber · chicory inulin
- Psyllium Huskpsyllium · ispaghula husk
- Oat beta-glucanoat bran beta-glucan · mixed-linkage (1-3),(1-4)-beta-D-glucan
- Oat fiberoat hull fiber · oat hull fibre
- Citrus fibercitrus peel fiber · dried citrus pulp
- Resistant dextrinresistant maltodextrin · soluble corn fiber
- PolydextroseE1200 · INS 1200
- Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)FOS · oligofructose
- Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)GOS · trans-galactooligosaccharides
- Xylooligosaccharides (XOS)XOS · xylo-oligosaccharides
- 2'-Fucosyllactose (HMO)2'-FL · 2'-O-fucosyllactose
- Partially hydrolyzed guar gumPHGG · hydrolyzed guar gum
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