Quillaja Saponaria Extract Powder

Quillaja saponaria extract (also spelled “quillaia”) is brown powder made from bark of the soapbark tree. It has a sweet, pungent odor. The word quillay is derived from the native Mapuche word quillean, which means “to wash.” The soapbark tree is a large evergreen with shiny, leathery leaves and a thick bark. It is native to China and several South American countries.

Quillaja Saponaria extract contains saponins, molecules with a distinctive foaming characteristic. They foam considerably when shaken in water. The extract is a food additive and flavoring agent in soft drinks (typically root beer and cream soda).