Rosemary extract is produced from the leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis (now Salvia rosmarinus) through supercritical CO2 or ethanol extraction. The extract contains two primary classes of antioxidant compounds: diterpenes (carnosic acid, carnosol) and polyphenolic acids (rosmarinic acid).
Rosemary extract is the most widely used natural antioxidant in the food industry, with EU approval (E392) for food preservation. It also demonstrates cognitive-enhancing, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Commercially, rosemary extract serves dual roles as a clean-label food preservative and as an active ingredient in cognitive health supplements, cosmeceuticals, and meat processing.