Soba (Buckwheat) Extract
そばエキス (Soba Ekisu)
Why source from Japan
Hokkaido tartary buckwheat cultivars yield premium rutin concentrations; soba-noodle culture provides robust raw-material supply.
Key spec
Rutin content typically 0.5–3% in tartary buckwheat extracts; 0.05–0.2% in common buckwheat extracts.
Typical end-product
Rutin-circulatory FFC supplements, tartary-buckwheat tea (dattan-soba-cha), premium soba-noodle exports.
At a glance
- Suppliers listed
- 2 suppliers
- Typical MOQ
- 1–10 kg extract; 100 g – 1 kg standardised actives
- Typical lead time
- 8–12 weeks
- Regions of origin
- Hokkaido (~50%), Nagano, Iwate, Yamagata
- Category
- functional-food-ingredients
- Harvest season
- Late summer (summer-soba) and autumn (autumn-soba)
- Japan regulatory status
- FFC notifications exist for rutin (circulatory support); food product status
- Japanese name
- そばエキス
- Romaji
- Soba Ekisu
About this ingredient
Standardised extract of common (Fagopyrum esculentum) or tartary (F. tataricum) buckwheat, primarily standardised to rutin content. Tartary buckwheat carries 5–10× the rutin of common buckwheat and is the basis of high-end functional food positioning. Hokkaido produces about 50% of Japan's domestic buckwheat by volume; Nagano, Iwate, and Yamagata round out the supply. Used in functional foods for circulatory support, in tartary-buckwheat tea, and as a feedstock for rutin-positioned supplements.
Regulatory status
| Japan | FFC notifications exist for rutin (circulatory support); food product status |
|---|---|
| EU | CosIng comparable; food: pre-1997 EU history common (common buckwheat) |
| United States | DSHEA NDI for tartary buckwheat extract; GRAS for traditional buckwheat use |
| China | GACC registration for industrial-scale imports |
Looking for alternatives?
Common reasons buyers swap to a different ingredient — and what we'd suggest based on this ingredient's profile.
Vegan / plant-based alternatives
Soba (Buckwheat) Extract is animal-derived. If you need a non-animal source with similar functions, consider:
GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)
γ-アミノ酪酸
FFC notification(s) on file; MOQ from 10–50 kg.
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Nattokinase
ナットウキナーゼ
Serine protease from Bacillus subtilis var. natto source; FFC notification(s) on file; MOQ from 100 g – 10 kg (concentrated powder).
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Soy Isoflavones & Equol
大豆イソフラボン・エクオール
Glycine max (soybean); Lactococcus 20-92 (for Equol fermentation) source; FFC notification(s) on file; MOQ from 1 kg (concentrate) – 100 kg (lower-concentration grades).
Plant-based· shares 3 categories
Easier China regulatory path
Soba (Buckwheat) Extract faces a more restrictive regulatory pathway in China. These alternatives have a simpler status in that market:
GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)
γ-アミノ酪酸
FFC notification(s) on file; MOQ from 10–50 kg.
Simpler in China· shares 3 categories
Sansho Pepper
山椒
Zanthoxylum piperitum source; INCI Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract; MOQ from 1–10 kg (dried peppercorn); 100 g – 5 kg (powder).
Simpler in China· shares 2 categories
Wasabi Powder
山葵粉末
Wasabia japonica (Eutrema japonicum) source; INCI Wasabia Japonica Root Powder; MOQ from 1–10 kg (powder); 100 kg+ (bulk paste).
Simpler in China· shares 2 categories
When does it make sense to swap an ingredient? Read the swap guide →
Japanese suppliers
Hakubaku Co., Ltd.
株式会社はくばく
Fujikawa, YamanashiEst. 1941English supportExport experienceTartary-buckwheat tea and noodle base
Oryza Oil & Fat Chemical Co., Ltd.
オリザ油化株式会社
Ichinomiya, AichiEst. 1954English supportExport experienceRutin-standardised extract
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Last updated: 2026-05-05