E999 - Quillaia extract

At a glance

• What it is: A plant extract rich in saponins, compounds that naturally create foam and act like mild soaps in water.
• What it does: Adds stable foam and helps blend oil-based flavors in drinks (emulsifies).
• Where it’s used: Mostly flavored soft drinks, beverage flavor emulsions, and cocktail mixers.
• Label names: Quillaia extract, Quillaja extract, Soapbark extract, E999 (in the EU).
• Diet notes: Plant-derived; typically suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.
• Forms: Two main types are used in foods (Type 1 and Type 2) with different saponin levels.
• Taste/texture: Can add a slight bitter or astringent note if used at high levels; designed to be neutral at normal use.
• Storage/handling: Stable dry; solutions are sensitive to high heat and extreme pH.

Why is Quillaia extract added to food?

Manufacturers use quillaia because its saponins create long-lasting foam and keep tiny oil droplets dispersed. In fizzy drinks, that means a creamy head of foam and less separation over time. In flavor emulsions, it helps citrus and other oils stay mixed so the drink looks clear and consistent.

What foods contain Quillaia extract?

You’ll most often find E999 in:

• Flavored soft drinks and “craft” style sodas (for head retention and mouthfeel)
• Beverage flavor emulsions that are later diluted into finished drinks
• Cocktail mixers and some alcohol-free malt or botanical beverages

In the EU, E999 is authorized mainly as a foaming agent for certain flavored drinks and related beverage applications, subject to maximum levels in the additive rulebook.¹ In the United States, quillaia extract is permitted for use as a natural flavoring substance or a substance used with flavors in accordance with good manufacturing practice, which includes beverage applications.²

What can replace Quillaia extract?

Depending on the job to be done:

• For emulsifying flavor oils in soft drinks: acacia gum, glycerol esters of wood rosin, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, or propylene glycol alginate.
• For foam building or stabilizing: sodium alginate, gellan gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, or guar gum.
• For visual “lift” without surfactants: more carbonation using carbon dioxide can increase head but does not emulsify oils.

Each option has its own taste impact, labeling profile, and cost, so formulators often blend several stabilizers.

How is Quillaia extract made?

Quillaia extract comes from the inner bark or wood of the soapbark tree (Quillaja saponaria). Food-grade material is prepared by extracting the plant with water (and sometimes food-grade ethanol), removing insoluble matter, and concentrating the liquid. Two specification types are defined for food use: Type 1 (less purified, lower saponin concentration) and Type 2 (more purified, higher saponin concentration), each with strict purity and contaminant limits set by EU law.³

Is Quillaia extract safe to eat?

Regulators allow quillaia extract in foods when used within established limits. In the EU, E999 is on the list of permitted food additives, and detailed purity specifications help ensure consistent, safe composition.¹³ In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits quillaia extract as a natural flavoring substance or as a substance used with flavors, to be used in line with good manufacturing practice.² These decisions are based on safety reviews and typical dietary exposure at intended use levels.

Does Quillaia extract have any benefits?

For consumers, quillaia improves the drinking experience by giving beverages a creamy, lasting foam and a uniform look without cloudiness. For makers, it can reduce separation of flavor oils, lower the need for heavy carbonation to build foam, and help maintain quality through shelf life. It does not add nutritional benefits and is used for texture and stability.

Who should avoid Quillaia extract?

• Anyone with a known sensitivity or allergy to quillaia/soapbark products should avoid it.
• People advised by a healthcare professional to avoid saponin-containing extracts should check labels.
• If you’re choosing to avoid certain additives, note that quillaia may appear as “Quillaja extract,” “Soapbark extract,” or “E999” on ingredient lists.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Quillaia is soap.” Fact: It’s a plant extract rich in saponins that act like mild surfactants; it’s regulated and used at very low levels in foods.
• Myth: “It makes drinks sweeter.” Fact: Quillaia doesn’t add sugar or sweetness; it helps foam and keeps flavors mixed.
• Myth: “It’s synthetic.” Fact: Food-grade quillaia extract is derived from the Quillaja saponaria tree, with purity limits set by law.

Quillaia extract in branded foods

You’re most likely to see quillaia on the labels of foamy sodas (like traditional root-style or botanical soft drinks), cocktail mixers, and beverage bases. On packaging, look for “Quillaia extract,” “Quillaja extract,” “Soapbark extract,” or “E999.” Availability varies by country and product style, so always check the ingredient list.

References

Footnotes

1. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — Union list and conditions of use. EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩ ↩²

2. 21 CFR 172.510 — Natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors. U.S. FDA. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172/subpart-F/section-172.510 ↩ ↩²

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 — Specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩²