Fruitflow® tomato extract: what it is, how it's made and what to check on the label

By Kraeuterhaus Sanct Bernhard India

Fruitflow® is a water-soluble tomato extract that you will find on the labels of some dietary supplements, including our Cardio Thrombo Fit. This guide explains what the ingredient is, how it is made, how it differs from lycopene, what regulators in Europe, the US and India say about it, and what to check on a label before you buy.

Key facts at a glance

• Fruitflow® is a water-soluble tomato concentrate developed by Provexis, a UK company, which licenses it to supplement and food brands.
• It is made from processed tomatoes by physical steps such as centrifugation and filtration at low temperature.
• It is lycopene-free and fat-free. Lycopene is a different tomato compound.
• In 2009 the European Commission authorised a health claim for it under EU law. An EU authorisation does not apply in India.
• In India, health supplements are regulated by FSSAI. Their labels and advertising must not claim to prevent, treat or cure a disease.
• Before you buy, read the label: the ingredient name, the amount per serving, the other ingredients, the directions and the warnings.

What is Fruitflow®?

Fruitflow® is the brand name of a water-soluble tomato concentrate. EU documents call it Water-Soluble Tomato Concentrate, or WSTC. It was developed by Provexis, a UK company, which licenses it to brands that make supplements, foods and drinks. For more than a decade it was supplied through an alliance with DSM. Since 1 January 2023, brands buy it directly from Provexis. [1][2]

A published review by researchers from Provexis, DSM and the University of Oslo describes how it is made. [3] The starting point is processed tomato products. The pulp and insoluble solids are removed by physical methods, centrifugation and filtration, at low temperature. What is left is a clear yellow juice, which is then concentrated by evaporation at low temperature. The review describes two ingredient formats, a syrup and a powder. The powder form is the one used in capsules and tablets. The review dates the discovery of this water-soluble tomato extract to 1999. [3]

The same review groups the compounds found in the extract into three families: nucleosides, simple phenolic derivatives and flavonoid derivatives. [3]

Fruitflow® vs lycopene: what's the difference?

Lycopene is the red, fat-soluble pigment that gives ripe tomatoes their colour, and it is sold as a supplement of its own. Fruitflow® comes from the clear, water-soluble part of the tomato. According to the review, both of its formats are lycopene-free and fat-free. [3]

So a lycopene capsule is not a Fruitflow® capsule, and the other way round. If a label just says "tomato extract", check which of the two it contains.

What regulators say

European Union. In the EU, a health claim on a food or supplement must be authorised before it can be used. In 2009 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gave its scientific opinion on a claim for water-soluble tomato concentrate (EFSA reference Q-2009-00229). In December 2009 the European Commission authorised the claim in Commission Decision 2009/980/EU, together with conditions that set how the ingredient is to be used. [1][2]

United States. Provexis notified the US Food and Drug Administration that water-soluble tomato concentrate is "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) for use in yogurt drinks, fruit juices and fruit-flavoured drinks at 3 g per serving. The FDA closed the notice (GRN 210) on 8 February 2007 with "no questions". [5]

India. An EU authorisation does not carry over to India. Here, health supplements come under the FSSAI regulations for health supplements and nutraceuticals. FSSAI's official FAQ on those regulations says the labelling, presentation and advertisement of these products "shall not claim that the product has the property of preventing, treating or curing a human disease". [4]

For that reason we describe Cardio Thrombo Fit simply as a dietary supplement that contains Fruitflow® tomato extract, and we do not use the EU claim on the product.

How to read a Fruitflow® supplement label

1. The ingredient name. Look for "Fruitflow®" or "water-soluble tomato concentrate", not just "tomato extract" or "lycopene".
2. The amount per serving. Check how much Fruitflow® each serving provides and how many servings the pack holds. Cardio Thrombo Fit, for example, provides 150 mg Fruitflow® per serving, with 30 servings per bottle.
3. The other ingredients. Many products add a vitamin or other ingredients. Cardio Thrombo Fit adds vitamin B1 (1 mg per capsule).
4. Directions and warnings. Read the serving directions and every caution on the pack before you start.
5. Who stands behind it. An Indian label should show the manufacturer or marketer, their address and an FSSAI licence number.

When to check with your doctor

A supplement does not replace a varied diet, a healthy lifestyle or medical care. Speak to your doctor before taking any Fruitflow® supplement if you:

• take any prescribed medicine, especially one for your heart or blood
• have a medical condition or a planned operation
• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• are under 18

Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine because you have started a supplement.

About Cardio Thrombo Fit

Cardio Thrombo Fit is our Fruitflow® supplement: 150 mg Fruitflow® per serving, with vitamin B1 (1 mg). The serving size is one capsule, and each bottle holds 30 capsules. Follow the directions on the label. It comes from Kräuterhaus Sanct Bernhard, with German heritage since 1903. It is a dietary supplement for adults, not a medicine. The full label is on the product page. You can also browse our heart wellness range.

Frequently asked questions

Is Fruitflow® the same as eating tomatoes or drinking tomato juice?

No. Fruitflow® is a concentrate made from the water-soluble part of processed tomatoes, with the pulp and insoluble solids removed. [3] Tomatoes are a good food in their own right, and a supplement is not a replacement for a varied diet.

Is Fruitflow® a medicine?

No. It is a food ingredient used in dietary supplements and in some foods and drinks. In India, supplements that contain it are sold under FSSAI's food rules, not as medicines. [4]

How much Fruitflow® is in Cardio Thrombo Fit?

150 mg Fruitflow® per serving. The serving size is one capsule, and each bottle holds 30 capsules. Always follow the directions on the label.

Does Fruitflow® have side effects, and who should not take it without advice?

Read every warning on the label. Speak to your doctor before use if you take any prescribed medicine (especially one for your heart or blood), have a medical condition or a planned operation, or are pregnant, breastfeeding or under 18. If you notice anything unusual while taking a supplement, stop and ask your doctor.

Does Fruitflow® contain lycopene?

No. The published review describes both Fruitflow® formats as lycopene-free and fat-free. [3]

Why doesn't the Cardio Thrombo Fit page use the EU health claim?

The EU claim was authorised under EU law for EU markets. In India, health supplements follow FSSAI rules. We keep our product wording to what the label shows.

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please read the label before use.

Sources

1. European Commission. Commission Decision 2009/980/EU of 17 December 2009, Annex (as amended by the Commission Decision of 13 December 2010). legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2009/980/annex
2. Provexis plc. Fruitflow®. provexis.com/fruitflow
3. O'Kennedy N, Raederstorff D, Duttaroy AK. European Journal of Nutrition. 2017;56(2):461–482. doi:10.1007/s00394-016-1265-2. Open access: PMC5334395. The authors were affiliated with Provexis, DSM and the University of Oslo.
4. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. FAQs on the Health Supplements and Nutraceuticals Regulations, 2016, question 10. fssai.gov.in (PDF)
5. US Food and Drug Administration. GRAS Notice Inventory, GRN No. 210, water soluble tomato concentrate. fda.gov

Sources checked on 30 September 2026.