Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) is a succulent plant species that likely originated in the Arabian Peninsula but has been cultivated and naturalised across warm regions worldwide. It has thick, fleshy, lance-shaped leaves that contain a clear gel, which has been used for medicinal, cosmetic, and food purposes for millennia — records of its use date back to ancient Egypt.
In the food industry, aloe vera gel and juice are used as ingredients in beverages, yoghurts, and desserts. Aloe vera drinks, popular across Asia and increasingly in Australia, typically contain small cubes of the translucent gel suspended in flavoured liquid. The gel has a mild, slightly bitter taste and a distinctive soft, slippery texture.
The plant is grown commercially in tropical and subtropical regions, with major production in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, China, Thailand, and India. In Australia, aloe vera products are widely available as drinks and as an ingredient in health food products.
How it's produced
Aloe vera is farmed in warm, arid to semi-arid climates on plantations ranging from small-scale holdings to large commercial operations. The plants are propagated from offsets (pups) that grow at the base of mature plants and are transplanted into prepared fields. Aloe is drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, though commercial yields are higher with regular irrigation.
Leaves are hand-harvested by cutting the outermost mature leaves from the base of the plant, allowing the inner leaves to continue growing. A single plant can be harvested multiple times per year without being destroyed. After harvest, the leaves are filleted — the green outer rind is sliced away to expose the clear inner gel. The gel is then washed, processed, and either used fresh, pasteurised for beverages, or concentrated and dried into powder. Care is taken to separate the gel from the yellow latex layer just beneath the rind, which contains compounds that are bitter and can cause digestive irritation.
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