Sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn suppliers and sourcing guide
Sea buckthorn is Hippophae rhamnoides, a thorny shrub in the Elaeagnaceae family grown in northern Europe, Russia, Mongolia and China for its small orange berries. Berries are pressed for juice and pulp oil, the seeds are pressed or CO2 extracted for seed oil, and juice or whole berry is dried to a powder. Food and supplement buyers use juice, powder and oils; cosmetic buyers mainly use the fruit (pulp) and seed oils.
- Category
- Botanicals and mushrooms
- Also known as
- Hippophae rhamnoides · seaberry · sallowthorn · sha ji
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of sea buckthorn
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Juice and puree
Pressed berry juice or puree, sold frozen or aseptic, with stated Brix and acidity.
Berry powder
Freeze-dried or spray-dried berry or juice powder, the latter often on a carrier.
Fruit (pulp) oil
Deep orange oil from the berry flesh, high in carotenoids and palmitoleic acid.
Seed oil
Pale oil pressed or CO2 extracted from the seeds, with a different fatty acid profile from the pulp oil.
Leaf tea
Dried leaves sold for herbal infusions.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Identity and fatty acids (GC)
- Fatty acid profile by GC for oils, which distinguishes pulp oil from seed oil and detects blending.
- Carotenoids and vitamin E
- Total carotenoids by UV and tocopherols by HPLC for oils, and vitamin C for juice and powder.
- Oil quality
- Acid value and peroxide value, which show hydrolysis and oxidation.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS, checked against the buyer's limits and any Prop 65 exposure targets.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, coliforms or E. coli, and Salmonella. Raw powders carry more microbial load than extracts and are often steam treated.
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue screen by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, required for organic material and commonly requested for conventional lots.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep oils in full, closed, light-proof containers, ideally under nitrogen, in a cool place; pulp oil oxidizes readily once opened. Store juice frozen or aseptic as specified, and powders sealed and dry. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification.
Lots and expiry dates
Carotenoid content, fatty acids and vitamin C vary with variety, ripeness and region, so record these for each lot. For oils, check peroxide value on older stock and rotate FEFO.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Hippophae rhamnoides (POL-NF-00404) lists the fruits (berries), leaves and flowers as not novel in food, and the seeds and seed oil as not novel in food supplements.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Traditional Chinese Medicine Ingredients monograph lists Hippophae rhamnoides under the Chinese name sha ji and the pharmaceutical name Fructus Hippophae (the fruit).
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.
Sea buckthorn suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking sea buckthorn 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 sea buckthorn? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of sea buckthorn can brands buy?
Common forms include juice and puree, berry powder, fruit (pulp) oil, seed oil and leaf tea. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for sea buckthorn include?
Expect identity and fatty acids (GC), carotenoids and vitamin E, oil quality, heavy metals, microbiology and pesticide residues, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should sea buckthorn be stored?
Keep oils in full, closed, light-proof containers, ideally under nitrogen, in a cool place; pulp oil oxidizes readily once opened. Store juice frozen or aseptic as specified, and powders sealed and dry. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification.
What is the regulatory status of sea buckthorn?
The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Hippophae rhamnoides (POL-NF-00404) lists the fruits (berries), leaves and flowers as not novel in food, and the seeds and seed oil as not novel in food supplements. Health Canada's Traditional Chinese Medicine Ingredients monograph lists Hippophae rhamnoides under the Chinese name sha ji and the pharmaceutical name Fructus Hippophae (the fruit).
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