L-Citrulline (CAS 372-75-8) is a naturally-occurring non-protein-forming alpha-amino-acid, named after Citrullus lanatus (watermelon), its most famous natural food source. It occupies a central biochemical role within the human urea-cycle and nitric-oxide (NO) metabolic pathway: L-citrulline is efficiently converted in-vivo to L-arginine, boosting circulating arginine levels and supporting endogenous nitric-oxide generation.
Globally, commercial-grade L-citrulline is predominantly manufactured via engineered microbial fermentation within industrial bioreactors. Our Natural L-Citrulline extract is obtained exclusively by gentle food-grade aqueous extraction and multi-stage purification from ripe watermelon fruit biomass. The natural fruit extract powder is standardized to 5% L-Citrulline.
Typical dietary intake from fresh watermelon delivers only hundreds of milligrams of L-citrulline per serving. Concentrated watermelon-sourced natural extract offers clean-label brands a genuine plant-origin alternative to fermented raw-material grades.
Key Benefits & Mechanisms
1.Acts as a highly bioavailable precursor for L-arginine synthesis, supporting nitric-oxide production, vascular relaxation and endothelial health.
2.Supports cardiovascular wellness and healthy resting blood-pressure markers documented in human clinical trials.
3.Enhances sports-nutrition outcomes: boosts exercise-induced muscle perfusion, physical endurance, workout "pump" sensation, and post-exercise muscle recovery while mitigating exercise-related fatigue.
4.Supports urea-cycle function, assisting ammonia detoxification inside human tissues.
5.Supports healthy inflammatory balance and oxidative-stress defence for systemic cellular wellbeing.
6.Suitable for oral dietary supplements, sports-nutrition pre-workout blends, functional beverages, and cosmetic formulations for topical micro-circulation support.
7.Highly applicable for cardiovascular health, sports-performance, healthy-aging and clean-label nutricosmetic product portfolios.
Why Natural - The Natural Advantage
1.Authentic fruit-derived origin: L-citrulline is intrinsically biosynthesized within watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) fruit tissue. Our process isolates this naturally-pre-formed amino-acid marker exclusively from watermelon fruit rather than generating the molecule using genetically-modified microbial hosts inside bioreactors.
2.Clean-label marketing differentiation: enables truthful "Natural", "Watermelon-Derived", "Fruit-Sourced" labeling claims, which fermented L-citrulline cannot legitimately support. Perfect for vegan-friendly, consumer-focused premium clean-label brands.
3.Natural co-active matrix background: retains complementary watermelon phytochemicals including minor phenolic compounds and fruit-origin amino-acid fractions from the native fruit matrix, delivering botanical matrix-effect absent in single-compound fermented material.
4.Full traceable supply-chain: traceable starting from agricultural watermelon raw-material through aqueous extraction, purification to finished bulk extract powder; every batch is supported with trace documentation and batch-specific Certificates of Analysis.
5.Gentle food-grade aqueous-based processing workflow, minimal organic-solvent footprint compared with complex industrial microbial-fermentation workflows.
6.Naturally constrained supply: L-citrulline exists at limited concentrations within watermelon fruit. Manufacturing standardized natural extract requires large volumes of watermelon biomass, making genuine watermelon-sourced L-citrulline extract relatively scarce and creating premium value for high-end clean-label formulations.
Technical Specifications
|
Item |
Specification |
Method |
|
Product Name |
Natural L-Citrulline Extract (Watermelon-Derived) |
- |
|
CAS No. |
372-75-8 (active marker) |
- |
|
Marker Content |
L-Citrulline: 5% |
HPLC |
|
Appearance |
Light-pink fine powder |
Visual |
|
Solubility |
Freely soluble in water |
- |
|
Loss on Drying |
≤5.0% |
Gravimetric |
|
Heavy Metals |
≤10 ppm (total) |
ICP / AAS |
|
Total Plate Count |
≤1,000 cfu/g |
- |
|
Yeast & Mold |
≤100 cfu/g |
- |
|
Salmonella / E. coli |
Negative / Negative |
- |
|
Particle Size |
≥95% through 80 mesh |
Sieve |
|
Storage / Shelf Life |
Sealed, cool & dry, protected from light; 24 months |
|
COA (Certificate of Analysis)
|
Item |
Specification |
Result |
Method |
|
Appearance |
Light-pink fine powder |
Conforms |
Visual |
|
Identification |
Conforms to reference standard (L-Citrulline) |
Conforms |
HPLC / IR |
|
L-Citrulline Marker Content |
5% (typical batch value) |
5.21% |
HPLC |
|
Loss on Drying |
≤5.0% |
3.01% |
Gravimetric |
|
Heavy Metals (Total) |
≤10 ppm |
<5 ppm |
ICP / AAS |
|
Lead (Pb) |
≤3 mg/kg |
<1 ppm |
ICP-MS / AAS |
|
Arsenic (As) |
≤2 mg/kg |
<1 ppm |
ICP-MS / AAS |
|
Cadmium (Cd) |
≤1 mg/kg |
<0.5 ppm |
ICP-MS / AAS |
|
Mercury (Hg) |
≤0.1 mg/kg |
<0.05 ppm |
ICP-MS / AAS |
|
Residual Solvents |
Conforms |
Conforms |
GC |
|
Total Plate Count |
≤1,000 cfu/g |
<10 CFU/g |
Plate count |
|
Yeast & Mold |
≤100 cfu/g |
<10 CFU/g |
Plate count |
|
E. coli |
Negative |
Negative |
Plate count / PCR |
|
Salmonella |
Negative |
Negative |
Plate count / PCR |
|
Particle Size |
≥95% through 80 mesh |
97% through 80 mesh |
Sieve |
|
Storage / Shelf Life |
Sealed, cool & dry, protected from light; 24 months |
||
Product Quality Advantages
Standardized Marker Content: L-Citrulline standardized to 5%, typical tested batch value 5.21%, stable content for every batch.
Heavy Metals Strictly Locked Within Low Range: Tested via ICP-MS/AAS, Pb, As, Cd, Hg contents are far below specification limits.
Low Moisture & Good Stability: Loss on drying ≤5.0%, actual result 3.01%, reduces degradation risk during storage.
Strict Multi-Round Microbial Control: Every batch undergoes full microbiology testing; E.coli and Salmonella negative, low total plate count & yeast mold.
Uniform Particle Size: ≥95% pass through 80 mesh, actual 97% through 80 mesh, good powder flow for blending & encapsulation.
Natural Co-Active Matrix: Retains watermelon-origin phytochemical background including minor phenolic compounds and fruit-origin amino-acid fractions.
Long Shelf Life: Store in sealed, cool dry place away from light; 24 months shelf life under proper storage condition.
Application Fields
Recommended applications: dietary supplements (vascular-cardiovascular support, nitric-oxide support, healthy aging), sports-nutrition (endurance, workout performance, post-exercise recovery), functional foods & beverages, and premium cosmetics (topical micro-circulation-support formulations).
Suggested dosage for finished oral products: To deliver 1500–6000 mg pure L-Citrulline per day, finished formulation shall use 28000–112100 mg of this 5% extract daily. Published human clinical studies commonly apply 3000–6000 mg pure L-Citrulline per day for vascular and sports-performance outcomes. Final formulation dosage shall be adjusted according to target-market regulatory requirements and finished-product health claims. For cosmetic topical application, typical extract inclusion rate ranges 2.0%–15.0%.
Professional ODM/OEM Services
Your Brand, Powered by Natural L-Citrulline - Backed by LANDNUTRA.
We provide full ODM/OEM manufacturing for finished products using Natural L-Citrulline extract as the active ingredient - from concept to commercial delivery, all under one roof.
Capsules: 500 mg, 1000 mg; vegetarian or gelatin; custom bottle/blister packaging.
Softgels: Lipid-based fill; custom shapes and sizes available.
Powder Blends & Stick Packs: Single-serve sachets or multi-serving tubs; commonly paired with L-arginine, taurine, or B-vitamins for pre-workout blends.
Functional Gummies & Chews: Pectin-based, sugar-free options with integrated flavouring and taste masking.
Functional Beverages: Ready-to-drink shots, powder drink mixes and effervescent formats for NO-support positioning.
Additional Services: Flavour masking, NO-synergy development, third-party certifications (Kosher, HALAL, NSF, Informed Sport), accelerated stability studies, and full regulatory documentation.
Contact: wangjing@landnutra.com | WhatsApp: +86 18092657549
Comparison: Natural vs. Fermented
|
Comparison |
Natural / Watermelon-Derived (Ours) |
Fermented / Microbial Bioconverted |
|
Source |
Ripe watermelon fruit biomass (Citrullus lanatus), single exclusive fruit source |
Engineered microbial strains operated within industrial bioreactors |
|
Production route |
Food-grade aqueous extraction + multi-step purification from fruit matrix |
Bioreactor microbial fermentation, extraction & crystallization |
|
Label positioning |
"Natural", "Watermelon-Derived", clean-label friendly |
"Fermentation-derived" (bio-identical molecule) |
|
Co-active matrix |
Retains natural watermelon-origin phytochemical background |
Single purified compound |
|
Residual risk |
Minimal; food-grade fruit-extraction workflow |
Potential fermentation host-cell residues and process by-products requiring strict COA monitoring |
|
Cost level |
Highest |
Moderate |
|
Best fit |
Premium clean-label cardiovascular, sports-nutrition & functional-beverage brands |
Mass-market supplements and large-volume sports-nutrition applications |
Certifications & Compliance
Facility certifications: HACCP / ISO 9001 / Halal / GMP
Documentation supplied with every order: batch COA, MSDS/SDS, TDS, allergen statement, GMO statement
Third-party testing: batch verification by SGS / Eurofins / Intertek
Non-GMO statement supplied with every batch
Regulatory note: L-Citrulline is widely accepted as a food ingredient across US, EU and multiple global territories; finished-product labeling and compliance remain buyer-side responsibility.
Email: wangjing@landnutra.com
WhatsApp: +86 18092657549
Packaging, MOQ & Logistics
Standard Packaging: 1 kg aluminium-foil bag; 25 kg fibre drum.
MOQ: 1 kg for sampling; bulk orders from 25 kg.
Lead Time: 7–15 days for stock items.
Shipping: Air or sea; FOB/CIF or door-to-door terms.
Samples: Free samples for evaluation; freight at customer's cost.
FAQ
Q: What is the key difference between natural watermelon-derived L-citrulline extract and fermented L-citrulline?
A: Both deliver bio-identical L-citrulline active marker. Our natural grade is aqueous-extracted exclusively from watermelon fruit biomass and supports "Natural / Watermelon-Derived" clean-label claims, and retains native fruit phytochemical matrix. Fermented L-citrulline is produced inside engineered microbial bioreactors and can only carry "fermentation-derived" labeling.
Q: Does watermelon-extracted natural L-citrulline extract contain sugar or fruit pigments?
A: Partial fruit pigments and residual natural fruit sugars remain within extract matrix; these components are characterized and reported within batch COA documentation.
Q: What are typical application dosages for finished goods?
A: Oral finished-product dosage: to deliver 1500–6000 mg pure L-Citrulline daily, use 28000–112100 mg of this 5% extract; human clinical trials most frequently use 3000–6000 mg pure L-citrulline per day for vascular and sports-nutrition support. Cosmetic topical typical extract loading is 2.0%–15.0%. Always verify local-market regulatory limits.
Q: What marker content and documentation do you supply?
A: This extract is standardized to typical 5% L-Citrulline. Each shipment includes batch COA, MSDS, TDS and third-party verification reports.
Q: Do you provide samples?
A: Yes - free samples are available for evaluation; please contact us with your formulation or application.
Q: Is natural watermelon-derived L-citrulline extract functionally different compared with fermented grades?
A: Core molecular bioactivity of L-citrulline marker is equivalent. The primary differentiators are botanical-fruit origin, clean-label marketing eligibility, supply-chain traceability and minor natural co-active matrix background for premium-brand storytelling.
Worldwide Delivery, Arranged for You
We deliver our ingredients to customers across global markets, choosing the most suitable shipping solution for every order and providing complete documentation along the way. Every delivery is handled end to end, with our team staying with the shipment until it reaches you.
Global Presence Through Industry Events
We regularly take part in international industry exhibitions to meet partners, share expertise and stay close to market trends. Details of our upcoming events are available on request.
Partnerships Built on Results
We work with brands and manufacturer partners across different markets and categories, supporting them from sample stage to commercial bulk supply. Specific references and case details are shared directly with qualified customers upon request.
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