Our production method
From flower to glass — cold maceration in water, sugar and citric acid. No extracts. No flavourings.
How we work
Direct cold maceration of fresh flowers in sugar–citric acid solution
At Agropošta, we start with the flower itself. Freshly hand-picked blossoms of elderflower (Sambucus nigra), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), mint (Mentha spp.), sage (Salvia officinalis) and other plants are placed directly into a solution of water, sugar and citric acid — and left to macerate cold for 24 to 48 hours. This is not an extraction in the industrial sense. There are no solvents, no heat, no concentration under pressure.
The process works through osmosis: the high concentration of sucrose in the solution creates an osmotic gradient that draws water-soluble aromatic and bioactive compounds out of the flower cells and into the surrounding liquid. Citric acid lowers the pH of the solution, which stabilises the extracted phenolic compounds, prevents enzymatic browning, and enhances the solubility of polar compounds such as chlorogenic acid and quinic acid derivatives. Research published in Molecules (Koval et al., 2026) confirms that hydroxycinnamic acids — including chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid — are characteristic markers of aqueous, polar extracts, and that cold maceration in a water-based solution is precisely the method that best preserves these compounds.
How industrial extracts are made
The industrial extraction process
What is an extract?
An extract is produced by treating plant material with chemical solvents — in the food industry, these are typically hexane (a petroleum derivative), ethanol, or propylene glycol. The material is exposed to high temperatures (60–120°C) and pressure to isolate the desired compounds. The solvents are then removed by distillation or evaporation. What remains is a concentrated fraction of the original plant material — but not the full, living profile of the flower.
What are synthetic flavourings?
Synthetic flavourings go one step further. Compounds such as linalool (the characteristic aroma of lavender) or the volatile esters of elderflower are synthesised in a laboratory — often from guaiacol (a by-product of wood pulp processing) or from petroleum derivatives. The same chemical molecule, but produced without any flower whatsoever. Under European Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008, such compounds may still be labelled as "natural flavouring" as long as the source material is of biological origin — even if the production process is entirely industrial and chemical.
Comparison: three production methods
| Feature | Agropošta — direct infusion | Industrial extract | Synthetic flavouring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw material | Fresh, hand-picked flowers | Dried/frozen plant material | Chemical precursors (guaiacol, petroleum) |
| Production method | Cold water infusion | Solvent extraction + distillation | Chemical synthesis in laboratory |
| Bioactive compounds | Full spectrum preserved | Partial, method-dependent | None (only the aroma molecule) |
| Temperature | Cold / room temperature | High (60–120°C) | Industrial (variable) |
| Chemical additives | None | Hexane, ethanol, propylene glycol | Catalysts, acids, bases |
| Flavour profile | Complex, living, seasonal | Standardised, flat | One-dimensional, identical every year |
| Traceability | Full (flower → bottle) | Limited | None |
| EU regulation | No flavouring additive required | Regulated as "extract" | Regulated as "flavouring" (EC 1334/2008) |
Scientific basis
What science says
Research published in Biomolecules (Ferreira-Santos et al., 2021) identified over 30 phenolic compounds in aqueous Sambucus nigra flower extracts, including chlorogenic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acid, quercetin-3-rutinoside, and kaempferol derivatives. These compounds demonstrate proven antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activity.
A comparative study from the University of Novi Sad (Industrial Crops and Products, 2019) showed that traditional maceration with water preserves the biological activity of elderflower extracts, while industrial techniques such as ultrasound-assisted extraction with ethanol may yield higher concentrations of individual compounds but disrupt the full synergistic profile of the flower.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recognises that polyphenols in plant infusions contribute to the protection of cells against oxidative stress — an effect that cannot be replicated by isolated synthetic compounds.
Bioactive compounds in elderflower infusion (Sambucus nigra)
Source: Ferreira-Santos et al. (2021), Biomolecules 11(8):1222 · Terzić et al. (2019), Industrial Crops and Products 136:93–101
Our promise
Every bottle of Agropošta carries the full story of the flower — from the meadow to your glass. No laboratory, no solvents, no shortcuts. Just water, sugar, citric acid and the flower itself.
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Visit the shopScientific sources
- [1]Ferreira-Santos P. et al. (2021). Chemical Characterization of Sambucus nigra L. Flowers Aqueous Extract. Biomolecules, 11(8):1222. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8391949/
- [2]Terzić M. et al. (2019). Advantages of contemporary extraction techniques for the extraction of bioactive constituents from black elderberry. Industrial Crops and Products, 136:93–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.04.058
- [3]European Parliament and Council (2008). Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings. Official Journal of the European Union. https://food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/food-improvement-agents/flavourings/eu-rules_en
- [4]EFSA (2022). Scientific Guidance on Flavourings. European Food Safety Authority. https://www.efsa.europa.eu
- [5]Tabaszewska M. et al. (2023). The Effect of the Plant Stabilisation Method on the Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Elderflower Extract. Molecules, 28(5):2365. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28052365
- [6]Koval M. et al. (2026). From Elderflower to Bioactive Extracts: Phytochemical Characterization and Anti-Inflammatory Activity. Molecules, 31(3):561. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12899531/