Quinine dosage

Quinine is a natural alkaloid derived from cinchona bark, historically known for its antimalarial properties and used today primarily as a bittering agent in carbonated beverages (especially tonic water). In addition to its culinary uses, quinine is also valued in nutraceutical formulations and plant extracts due to its antipyretic, analgesic, and mildly sedative effects. Accurate quinine dosage is essential to ensure regulatory compliance, safe use, and standardization of extracts.

Why dose quinine?

Regulations strictly govern the amount of quinine permitted in food products, particularly soft drinks. Exceeding the permitted levels can lead to product recall or refusal to market. Furthermore, quinine can cause adverse effects in sensitive individuals, including hearing or vision problems at high doses. For manufacturers of beverages, food supplements, or herbal preparations, reliable testing allows them to:

• Validate the quinine concentrations in the finished products
• Meeting European regulatory requirements (Regulation (EU) No 1333/2008)
• Checking the conformity of quinine extracts
• Evaluate the quality of raw materials and ensure batch consistency

Analytical methods used

Quinine is quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), often coupled with UV detection (HPLC-DAD) or mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for lower concentrations or complex matrices. These techniques allow for precise quantification, efficient separation of isomers, and high sensitivity.

Analytical protocols generally include hydroalcoholic extraction adapted to the nature of the matrix (liquid, powder, concentrated extract), followed by chromatographic separation on a C18 column and specific detection at 230-250 nm or by mass spectrometry in MRM mode.

Affected matrices

Quinine assay is applicable to a wide range of industrial matrices:

• Energy and carbonated drinks: verification of compliance with maximum permitted concentrations
• Quinine extracts: standardization for use in herbal medicine or cosmetics
• Dietary supplements: dosage in capsule, powder or liquid formulations
• Plant powders: raw material analysis for quality control

Industrial applications

Quinine dosage is of interest to several industrial sectors:

• Food and beverage industry: regulatory control and quality of flavored drinks
• Nutraceutical sector: standardization of extracts for wellness capsules or powders
• Phytotherapy: validation of plant extracts used in traditional preparations
• Cosmetics: use of quinine in certain hair lotions or toning products

Our analytical services

At YesWeLab , we offer quinine testing through our network of partner laboratories, selected for their expertise and compliance with quality standards (ISO 17025, COFRAC accreditation). Each analysis is performed using a method tailored to your technical requirements and matrix.

Our teams support you from method selection to results interpretation, with the option to compare different batches or suppliers. We can also integrate quinine analysis into a comprehensive polyphenolic profiling or plant extract characterization service, complementing flavonoid, hydrolyzable tannin, or caffeine analysis, depending on your needs.

Going further

For further analysis of your plant extracts or nutraceutical formulations, discover our related services:

• Caffeine dosage
• Total flavonoid content assay
• Naringin dosage
• Punicalagin dosage

Get a personalized quote

Need a fast, compliant, and reliable quinine assay? Turn to YesWeLab. Our platform allows you to submit your analysis request in just a few clicks, track its progress, and retrieve your results online. Describe your needs: we'll guide you to the most relevant method and the laboratory best suited to your matrix.