Introduction
Aloe Vera is a combination of powerful organic compounds, which is found inside the leaves of the Aloe Vera plant. The gel is a colorless, odorless, hydrocolloid with several natural beneficial substances. Today's consumers in the cosmetic, food, and beverage market are increasingly interested in healthy life-styles, a trend that has produced a skyrocketing demand for health-oriented products. The current worldwide popularity of Aloe Vera gel is an example of this trend. It was found that while 81 percent of consumers in the united states are aware of vitamins in products, an astonishing 78 percent of American consumers are aware of the presence of Aloe Vera.

Applications
Aloe vera gel can be used in a wide range of food products. It is presently used in health drinks, sports beverages, soft drinks, candies and chewing gum. It is even used to prepare a hangover remedy. A few examples of product applications for food and beverage products are as follows. Aloe Sports Drink (with electrolytes), Diet Drink with soluble fiber, Hangover Drink with B-Vitamins, amino acids, acetaminophen, Aloe & FOS heatlh drink, Laxative Drink, Healthy Vegetable Juice Mix ( ie V8 juice with aloe vera), Tropical Fruit Juice with Aloe Vera, Aloe Vera, Yogurts & Yogurt Drinks with Aloe Vera pieces, Aloe Vera Jelly Desserts with chunks of Aloe, Instant Aloe Vera Tea Granules, Aloe Vera Gum for sore or bleeding gums (high percent of aloe), Healthy Aloe Vera Candy, Aloe vera/citrus (ie. Lemon/lime/grapefruit) sorbet, Aloe Vera Mixer for whiskey or other alcohol, Aloe Vera concentrate that can be mixed at home with tea, Water, or juice, Candy Type Aloe Vera Vitamin, Aloe Vera Sorbet or Sherbets with citrus juice, Aloe Vera chunks in light syrup (With or without other tropical fruits), Aloe Vera fruit smoothies. Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals: After Sun Soothing Spray or Gel, Moisturizing Suntan Lotions, Low or non alcohol Soothing Aftershave Lotion, Soothing Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin, Lip Protector (Lip Balm or Lip Salve), Lipstick, Under Eye Wrinkle Remover Gel, Psoriasis Dry Flaky Skin Ointment (with or without Cortisone), Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, Hair Rinse, Anti-Dandruff after rinse gel (rub into wet hair after rinse and let dry in hair), Diaper Rash Ointment/Cream/Jelly, Hemorrhoid Suppositories, Hemorrhoid Ointment, Rich Moisturizing Night Cream for Face, Light Moisturizing Lotion for Face, Hand Lotion, Mouth Rinse for soothing sore and bleeding gums, Soothing Toothpaste for anti-plaque and sore gums, Non-Foaming moisturizing Bath Gel (add to bath water to soothe skin), Aloe Vera Vaginal Douche, Moisturizing Aloe Vera Spray for Refreshing Face, Aloe Facial Cleanser, Aloe Vera Facial Scrub, Aloe-Kaolin Facial Masque, Aloe Day Creme, Aloe Vera Skin Toner/Astringent, Aloe Vera Baby Wipe Pads, Aloe Vera Burn Ointment

Consistency & Integrity
Consistency is everyone's concern with any natural product. Maintaining the commodity's consistency is the most difficult hurdle to conquer. This is certainly true with a natural juice such as aloe vera, especially when it is highly concentrated. Garuda has tried various processing techniques over the years and has settled on those methods and processes that produce the most consistent quality day after day, and year after year. All of Garuda's aloe vera is processed and stabilized within hours of harvest to maintain the essential polysaccharide and chemical profile. Integrity, knowing you get what you pay for. We feel its a sad state of affairs when the buyer must always we wary of his suppliers. But, we all know from experience, that there will often be unscrupulous business people who will cleverly, and sometimes, not so cleverly try to misrepresent the products they sell. Unfortunately, botanicals, including aloe vera have often fallen prey to such unscrupulous companies and individuals. For this reason, Garuda has always endeavored to maintain rigid specifications for its aloe vera products, that make it more difficult for false or diluted products to meet. Garuda also has a broad base of knowledge about aloe vera that is shared with its customers and prospects. Garuda believes that your knowledge and understanding of aloe vera will make you a more prudent and effective buyer.

Supply & Service
Supply, getting what you need, when you need. Aloe vera, being a natural product, is affected by weather, seasonal changes and natural phenomena. That is why Garuda's aloe vera is grown and processed in both the sunny Caribbean and Thailand where the climates remain warm the year-round. Mountain streams provide pure, year-round water for irrigation. The aloe vera leaves are harvested and processed all year long. With over 3,000 acres under cultivation in two countires, you can be assured of a continuous and ample supply of aloe vera from Garuda International, Inc. Service, getting the product YOU need. Through Garuda's experience working in many industries and in over forty countries, Garuda is acutely aware of the special needs of formulators of foods, beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Garuda can prepare special formulations to meet the requirements of most government regulatory agencies. Garuda can custom formulate a product specifically for you, if required. Packaging can be in cans, plastic-lined drums, pails and special aseptic bags in drums or pails (requiring no preservatives). Garuda is one of the only Aloe suppliers that can provide aseptic packaging for its aloe juice and chunks. Garuda also has local agents and distributors in many areas of the world to better serve you with prompt communications and shipping times.

History of Aloe
Aloe plants belong to the liliaceae family which contains over 200 genera. Aloe, with its different species composes 1/10th the size of the lily family. Aloeneae is the tribe of the liliaceae family to which the aloe genus belongs. According to different botanical sources, there are from 325 to 380 different species and varieties of Aloe. The oldest known picture of an Aloe plant is believed to have been shown in color in a manuscript prepared at Istanbul, Turkey. Records of ancient knowledge of the Egyptians about aloe vera is available to us through the everas papyrus which was written in the year 1552 B.C. and is kept now in the German University in Leipzig. Ancient records of the Egyptians, Arab, African, Asians and Americans have discussed the different uses and pathological cases in which Aloes were administered. Aloe was cultivated in Egypt thousands of years ago and was used by the people of the Mediterranean at least 400 years before Christ. Aloe is also mentioned in the Bible's New Testament. The Arabs had taken Aloe vera plants to India and the Indian people called it savari, a name from which the name savila (Spanish for aloe vera) might have been derived. The Indians also named Aloe Ailwa from which the Greek word alon might have been derived. Aloe was also mentioned in ancient Chinese transcripts. It was employed medicinally for eczematous skin conditions in China and India under the name Luhui in China and Musabbar in India. The Greeks knew Aloe through the Indians. The Greek physician Peter Pedanius Dioscoriades wrote about Aloe in his medicinal plant collection materna medica. Aloe was first illustrated in the Codex Aniciae Julianae which was written around the year 512 A.D. by Dichotomous. Aloe was also mentioned in the writings of the Latin writer, Aurelius Celsus, who wrote a book about medicine and called it De Medicina, which appeared for the first time in the year 1378. Aurelius Celsus was a well-known writer in agriculture and medicine. In America, Aloe was mentioned in Columbus' journals. The earliest record of using Aloe's bitter material as a drug in America was 1697.

Aloe and world cultures
In Arabic, the Aloe plant is called sabbar, an Arabic word that means burden bearer. The Arabs used to sling Aloe plants on the doors of their homes, supposedly to prevent evil from entering. The plants will stay green and alive for extended periods of time and may even flower. Egyptians, who have a long relationship with Aloes, still grow the plants around graveyards to symbolize the patience which is to be exercised during the long suffering from losing the deceased person. The Gala, a hematic tribe who now lives in Ethiopia and Somalia in East Africa grow the plants around their graves and they believe that when the plants flower, the deceased has been admitted to heaven. Hindus in North India, practice the tradition of feeding their newborn children a little of Aloe mixed with honey in a golden spoon. It is normally administered by the father. It is supposed to help discharging the meconium. In 1893 there was a preparation from Aloe that was described in the Pharmacographia Indica. The preparation was described as follows: a mixture of worm wood, jatamesi, chiretta, cinnamon, cassia, herba schoenenthi, asarum and mastich to be boiled, then strained and mixed with the powered Aloe, and then a solution will be made and drank in the morning. The British Medical Association issued a couple of books called Secret Remedies, What They Cost and What They Contain, in 1909 through 1912. Many of the drugs that were mentioned contained Aloes. Some of these drugs were: Hugh's Black Pills, Gloria Pills, Graziona Reducing Treatment, Mother Siegel's Curative Syrup and Tablet-45. The Aloe content of these was used as the active agent in conjunction with a few other ingredients, such as rhubarb and seaweed.