Tincture ratio label requirements trip up more first-time brand owners than almost any other line on an NHP label. The number looks simple, yet a 1:5 printed in the wrong place, or without the right context, can stall a licence or force a costly reprint. So before your artwork goes to the printer, it pays to understand what that ratio actually means and how Health Canada expects you to declare it.
This guide walks through the math, the labelling conventions, and the mistakes that cause the most rework.
Key Takeaways
- A tincture ratio (for example 1:5) states how much herb went into how much finished liquid, weight to volume.
- NHP labels declare each medicinal ingredient's quantity per dose, and for extracts that usually means the extract amount plus its ratio, a dried-herb equivalent, or both.
- Dried-herb equivalent per dose is simple arithmetic once you know the ratio and the dose volume.
- Fresh vs dried starting material changes the numbers, so the label and licence must say which one you used.
- Your printed label must match your product licence exactly, so lock the ratio before you design artwork.
Why Tincture Ratio Label Requirements Matter for Your Brand
Your extract ratio is not marketing copy. Instead, it is part of how Health Canada identifies the medicinal ingredient in your product. Because the label must reflect the product licence, any mismatch between the two becomes a compliance issue, not a design choice.
The ratio also shapes how buyers and practitioners compare products. For example, a retailer comparing two echinacea tinctures will look at strength per dose before price. As a result, a clear declaration builds trust, while a confusing one invites questions you would rather not answer at the shelf.
Here's what that means in practice: getting tincture ratio label requirements right is a step you finish during formulation, long before label design. If you are still working through the broader rules, start with our overview of NHP label requirements for herbal products.
How Tincture Ratios Work: Reading 1:5, 1:2 and 1:1
A tincture ratio is a weight-to-volume statement. The first number is the weight of herb in grams. The second number is the volume of finished extract in millilitres. So a 1:5 tincture contains the extractable material from 1 g of herb in every 5 mL of liquid.
Lower second numbers mean a more concentrated extract. A 1:2 contains 1 g of herb per 2 mL, which is two and a half times stronger by herb weight than a 1:5. Likewise, a 1:1 fluid extract carries 1 g of herb in each millilitre.
This is where most brands run into trouble. Powdered and dry extracts often use the opposite convention, such as 4:1 or 10:1, meaning 4 or 10 parts of herb produced 1 part of extract. Mixing the two conventions on a spec sheet or label is a common and avoidable error. For a deeper look at how ratios come out of the extraction itself, see our guide to tincture extraction methods and maceration.
Tincture Ratio Label Requirements Under the NHP Framework
Under the Natural Health Products Regulations, the label must list each medicinal ingredient with its proper name, common name, source material and quantity per dosage unit. For a liquid, the dosage unit is typically a measured volume, such as 1 mL or 2 mL.
For extracts, Health Canada's guidance generally allows two ways to express quantity. First, you can state the amount of extract per dose along with its ratio. Second, you can state the quantity of crude herb equivalent, often called the dried-herb equivalent (DHE). Many labels show both, because together they tell the reader exactly what is in each dose.
You should also identify the plant part and whether the starting material was fresh or dried. Health Canada's labelling guidance for natural health products sets out the full list of required elements. Always confirm the exact format against the current guidance and your own product licence.
Calculating Dried-Herb Equivalent per Dose
The math is straightforward once the ratio is fixed. Divide 1,000 mg by the second number in the ratio to get milligrams of herb per millilitre. Then multiply by the dose volume.
For a multi-herb formula, repeat the calculation for each medicinal ingredient. In that case, use the share of the blend each extract represents. For example, if a 1:5 extract makes up half of a 2 mL dose, that ingredient contributes 1 mL, or 200 mg DHE.
The short version: run these numbers early, because they feed directly into your licence application and your label panel. Our tincture calculator is a quick way to sanity-check strength across sizes.
Common Labelling Mistakes With Extract Ratios
Most problems with tincture ratio label requirements come from a handful of repeat errors. However, each one is easy to catch with a careful review.
In addition, keep rounding consistent. If your licence states 400 mg DHE, your label should not say 0.4 g on one panel and 400 mg on another.
Getting Your Tincture Ratio Label Right Before You Print
Treat the ratio as a locked specification. Once your formulation, extraction ratio and dose volume are final, calculate the quantity per dose for every medicinal ingredient. Next, make sure the same figures appear in your product licence and your label artwork. Finally, have someone outside the design process check the panel against the licence line by line.
That review takes an hour. By contrast, a reprint after a compliance query can cost weeks and a full run of labels. If you are planning a new liquid extract and want to talk through format and strength options, start with an overview of herbal contract manufacturing services. Then reach out through our contact page to start the conversation.
Clear tincture ratio label requirements protect your licence, your retail relationships and your brand's credibility. Get the math right first, and the label follows.
Published: October 2, 2026