Short answer: polydatin and trans-resveratrol are not two grades of the same material and they are not interchangeable on a spec sheet. Polydatin is resveratrol carrying one glucose unit (resveratrol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside, also called piceid); trans-resveratrol is the aglycone. That single sugar changes molecular weight, water handling, the assay basis a buyer is actually quoting against, and the documentation file. A 98% polydatin and a 98% trans-resveratrol are not the same amount of stilbene. Decide on format fit, label name and documentation load first, then price the material.
Property comparison: polydatin vs trans-resveratrol
| Property | Polydatin (piceid) | Trans-resveratrol |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical identity | trans-resveratrol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside | trans-resveratrol, the aglycone |
| CAS number | 27208-80-6 (verify against the batch documentation) | 501-36-0 (verify against the batch documentation) |
| Molecular formula | C20H22O8 | C14H12O3 |
| Molecular weight | approximately 390.4 g/mol | approximately 228.2 g/mol |
| Relationship between the two | the glycoside: one glucose on the 3-position | the parent molecule the glucose sits on |
| What the assay percentage is against | polydatin itself. Confirm it is not stated as resveratrol equivalent | trans-resveratrol. Ask whether the cis isomer is reported separately or summed in |
| Stilbene mass, like for like | 98% polydatin is roughly 57.3% on a resveratrol-equivalent basis (228.2 / 390.4) | 98% is 98% on the aglycone basis |
| Usual commercial source | Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed) root and rhizome | knotweed extraction, grape or peanut sources, or microbial fermentation |
| Anthraquinone question (emodin, physcion) | applies: knotweed-derived | applies to the knotweed route only; not to the fermentation route |
| Water handling | reported markedly more water-soluble than the aglycone; confirm against supplier data | reported very low in water; ethanol or co-solvent systems are typical |
| Light sensitivity | stilbene core is still light-sensitive; protect from UV | trans to cis isomerisation under UV is the classic handling issue |
| Reported melting point | reported around 223 to 226 C; confirm on the COA | reported around 253 to 255 C; confirm on the COA |
| Appearance | white to off-white powder | off-white to light tan; the knotweed route can run darker than the fermentation route |
| Assay method | HPLC-UV; strong stilbene chromophore near 306 nm | HPLC-UV near 306 nm; ask which isomers the method separates |
| Format fit | water-based sticks, beverages and gummies where aqueous handling is the constraint | capsules, tablets and lipid or solvent-assisted systems; needs solubilising work for water formats |
| Label recognition | lower: polydatin and piceid are not consumer-familiar names | high: trans-resveratrol is one of the most recognised names in the category |
| Documentation load | source, anthraquinone limit and method, assay basis, residual solvents | source route (plant or fermentation), isomer profile, anthraquinone limit if knotweed-derived |
Which one fits your product
Choose polydatin if the format is water-based and aqueous handling is the binding constraint, if your team can carry the resveratrol-equivalent conversion in the specification without confusion, and if you are willing to explain a less familiar ingredient name on the label and in the trade sell-in.
Choose trans-resveratrol if label recognition is doing real work for the brand, if the format is a capsule, tablet or a lipid or solvent-assisted system where low water solubility is not the limiting factor, or if you want a source route that removes the knotweed anthraquinone question from the file entirely.
Ask for a fermentation-derived or a solubilised or co-processed grade if you want the recognised name without the knotweed documentation, or you need aqueous dispersion without changing molecule. Both are real options and both change price and lead time, so ask before the sample rather than after.
Formulation and sourcing notes
A 98% polydatin is not 98% resveratrol
This is the same trap that catches buyers on quercetin dihydrate, PQQ disodium, pterostilbene glucoside, apigenin glycosides and TUDCA sodium salt, and it is the largest one in this family because the sugar is heavy. Polydatin runs about 390.4 against about 228.2 for the aglycone, so on a mass basis a 98% polydatin carries roughly 57.3% resveratrol-equivalent stilbene. Two quotes that both read 98% can differ by a factor approaching 1.7 in stilbene delivered per kilogram. Put the basis in writing on the purchase specification before comparing price.
Anthraquinones are the knotweed question, and it belongs on the spec
Polygonum cuspidatum naturally contains anthraquinones, emodin and physcion among them, and they travel with the extract unless the process removes them. Buyers routinely put a numeric limit on the specification and ask which method produced the number. Two concrete asks: what is the emodin limit and by what method, and does the limit cover total anthraquinones or emodin alone. Fermentation-derived resveratrol does not carry this question at all, which is a documentation difference rather than a quality verdict on either route.
Light is a handling constraint for both, for different reasons
The stilbene core absorbs strongly in the UV, which is why the assay runs cleanly near 306 nm and also why the material needs protecting. For trans-resveratrol the specific issue is isomerisation of the trans form to the cis form under UV exposure, which is why the COA should state whether the number is trans only or a total. Polydatin is not exempt from light care simply because it is glycosylated. Amber or opaque packaging, no open handling under direct light, and a stability position stated for the finished format rather than for the powder alone.
Water solubility is where the glucoside earns its slot
The glucose unit is the reason a formulator would take on the less familiar name. In practice this shows up in stick packs, ready-to-mix beverages and gummy syrups, where the aglycone typically needs a solubiliser, a carrier system or a co-processed grade to disperse at all. Ask both suppliers for their own solubility data in the actual solvent system you use, at your working temperature, rather than accepting a general statement. Solubility numbers quoted in DMSO or ethanol tell you very little about a fruit-flavoured aqueous base.
The source route changes the paperwork more than it changes the powder
Knotweed-derived and fermentation-derived trans-resveratrol can look near-identical on a chromatogram and diverge completely in the buyer file. The plant route brings botanical identity, plant part, country of origin, extraction solvent and the anthraquinone limit. The fermentation route brings the production organism, the process description, residual host material questions and a different origin story on the label. Neither is inherently the better buy. Decide which file your QA and regulatory reviewers would rather defend, and specify it.
The ingredient name is a commercial decision, not only a regulatory one
Trans-resveratrol sells itself on a panel. Polydatin does not, and a brand choosing it needs a sentence its own sales team can repeat. Some brands solve this by declaring polydatin with its source in parentheses. Whichever route you pick, agree the panel wording with your regulatory reviewer before the artwork is set, because changing an ingredient name after artwork is more expensive than changing it before.
Documentation and how to verify it
Ask for both materials: a batch certificate of analysis with the assay method named, the assay basis stated in words, identity confirmation, heavy metals, microbiological results, residual solvents, an allergen statement, a GMO or non-GMO statement, and the retained-sample and stability position. Verify CAS numbers and molecular weights against the batch documentation rather than against any web page, including this one.
Ask for polydatin specifically: the assay percentage stated as polydatin rather than as resveratrol equivalent, the botanical source with plant part, the anthraquinone limit with method, and the extraction solvent with residual solvent results.
Ask for trans-resveratrol specifically: the production route in plain words, plant extraction or fermentation; whether the assay figure is trans only or a trans plus cis total; the anthraquinone limit if the material is knotweed-derived; and the isomer profile at release rather than at manufacture.
Our general approach to reading a supplier certificate is set out in how to verify a supplier COA, and our current documentation position is on the quality and certifications page.
What we do not claim on this page
This page compares ingredient forms on chemistry, analytical identity, sourcing documentation and formulation behaviour. It does not compare health outcomes and it makes no statement that either material diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents any disease. It does not compare absorption, bioavailability or conversion between the two forms: published work exists, it is not our data, and borrowing it as a supplier claim would be the wrong use of it. It makes no suitability statement for any population or product category, which is a decision for the brand and its regulatory reviewer. Regulatory status for both materials differs by market and by source route and should be confirmed with your own regulatory reviewer.
Related guides and product routes
- Pterostilbene vs Resveratrol — the other stilbene fork: two aglycones compared, where this page compares an aglycone with its glycoside.
- Longevity and cellular-aging ingredients — the category pillar and how we evaluate routes in it.
- Fisetin vs Quercetin — the flavonol fork, and another assay-basis comparison.
- All ingredient selection guides.
- Product routes: Polydatin 98%, from Polygonum cuspidatum root, and Trans-Resveratrol 98% (VineGuard), which is fermentation-derived rather than knotweed-extracted, so the anthraquinone question described above does not apply to it. Confirm both against the current batch documentation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between polydatin and resveratrol?
Polydatin is trans-resveratrol with one glucose unit attached at the 3-position, also called piceid. Trans-resveratrol is the aglycone, the same molecule without the sugar. The sugar raises molecular weight from about 228.2 to about 390.4, improves water handling, and changes what an assay percentage means.
Does a 98% polydatin assay mean 98% resveratrol?
No. On a mass basis a 98% polydatin corresponds to roughly 57.3% resveratrol-equivalent stilbene, because of the molecular weight difference. Confirm on the specification whether a quoted percentage is stated as polydatin or as resveratrol equivalent before comparing prices.
Where do polydatin and trans-resveratrol come from?
Polydatin is usually extracted from Polygonum cuspidatum, Japanese knotweed, root and rhizome. Trans-resveratrol reaches the market from knotweed extraction, from grape or peanut sources, or from microbial fermentation. Ask for the route in writing, since it determines the rest of the documentation.
Why do buyers ask about emodin in knotweed-derived material?
Polygonum cuspidatum naturally contains anthraquinones including emodin and physcion, and they can carry through the extract. Buyers commonly place a numeric limit on the specification and ask which analytical method produced it, and whether it covers total anthraquinones or emodin alone.
Which form suits a water-based stick pack or beverage?
Polydatin is the more water-friendly of the two and is often the reason a formulator accepts a less familiar ingredient name. Trans-resveratrol usually needs a solubilised, co-processed or carrier-assisted grade for aqueous formats. Ask for solubility data in your own solvent system at your working temperature rather than a general figure.
What documents do you provide with a sample?
A batch certificate of analysis with the method named, a product specification, allergen and GMO statements, residual solvent results and the stability position. Certificates are provided on request under buyer review. Tell us the target format and we will send the specification with the sample.
Request a sample, COA or specification
Tell us the format you are formulating, the water content of the base and the stilbene load you are targeting, and we will send the specification and a sample for the route that fits. Reach us through our contact page.
Nutrition BioTech
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(909) 745-1357
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