Ratio and standardized are two different ways to state potency
An extract ratio (such as 10:1) tells you how much raw botanical was concentrated into one part of extract — 10 kg of plant material reduced to 1 kg of extract. A standardized extract states a guaranteed marker percentage, such as 95% curcuminoids in curcumin or a 98% tea-polyphenol grade in green tea. Ratio describes the concentration step; standardization describes the measured active content. They answer different questions, and you should not assume one implies the other.
Read the assay basis, not just the headline number
A spec sheet should state the assay method and the marker it measures. Our catalog lists curcumin at 95% curcuminoids and green tea at a 98% tea-polyphenol grade, each with a defined assay. For an enzyme such as nattokinase, potency is stated by activity (20,000 FU/g) rather than a mass percentage, because biological activity is what matters in the formula. Always confirm the marker name and the assay method on the COA; two "95%" numbers can mean two different markers.
Ratio extracts suit full-spectrum and mushroom applications
Mushroom extracts such as reishi, lion's mane and cordyceps are commonly quoted by extraction ratio (e.g., 10:1, 30:1) or by a polysaccharide percentage, depending on the intended use and the buyer's QC method. Ratio grades keep a broader profile of the starting material and are often chosen where a full-spectrum composition is the selling point. Confirm with the supplier which the number represents before you build a spec around it.
Standardized grades suit dosing and claims
When the formula makes a specific potency claim or a finished-product spec sets a per-capsule amount, a standardized marker grade is the safer basis because the active content is measured and reproducible batch to batch. A standardized grade such as 95% curcuminoids lets your QA verify incoming material against a fixed number rather than an inferred concentration.
Put the right basis in the RFQ
A complete RFQ states which basis you need — ratio, standardized marker percentage, or activity units — plus the marker, the assay method, and the acceptable range. This prevents a supplier from quoting a 10:1 ratio when your line is built around a 95% standardized grade, or shipping an activity-unit product where your spec assumed a mass percentage. State the basis explicitly so quotation and sample match your process.