Dried Rosemary for the Food Industry: Writing a Supplier Specification

For a seasoning manufacturer or food processor, a dried rosemary specification defines precisely what the supplier must deliver. It helps prevent quality disputes, compare several offers and secure supply. A simple “premium rosemary” description is not enough for repeat production.

Define the expected product

The document should identify the rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis), its commercial form and its food application. State whether you need whole, cut or sifted leaves. Describe the required appearance, the acceptable proportion of stems and the criteria for the absence of foreign matter. These points have a direct impact on blending and dosing operations.

Describe the analytical requirements

Depending on the process and the market, the specification may set a moisture limit, microbiological criteria, and controls for pesticide residues and other contaminants. Limits must come from the applicable regulations and the manufacturer’s own risk analysis; it would be unwise to apply a universal figure without knowing the product and its use.

Secure documentary traceability

Ask for a batch number, the declared origin, storage conditions and the documents required by your approval procedure. The certificate of analysis must be easy to understand and clearly linked to the batch. For an organic claim, require certificates appropriate to the product and the import operation, rather than a logo presented on its own.

Include workable commercial clauses

State forecast quantities, packaging tolerances, sampling arrangements, rejection criteria, lead times and the agreed Incoterm. Also plan a procedure for reporting deviations and handling new batches. A good specification is one that allows the quality team to decide “compliant” or “non-compliant” without interpretation.

In practice: validate the specification with purchasing, quality and production before issuing a call for tenders.

Related product

Dried rosemary leaves

Further reading

• Pesticide Residues in Dried Rosemary: Controls for Importers
• Moisture and Storage of Dried Rosemary in Wholesale Supply

Discuss your sourcing requirements with Taramide

When making a professional enquiry, include your company, application, target quantity, destination country and required documents. Explore the product range or contact Taramide to discuss availability and specifications.