The disclosure relates to a method of preparing genipin-rich material from the fruit of Genipa Americana. The method comprises providing juice or extract from fruit of a plant of the Genipa americana, which contains sufficient genipin or derivatives of genipin capable of forming the aglycone, genipin； extracting the genipin/genipin derivatives from the fruit using a solvent selected from water, polar solvent, and mixtures thereof； adjusting the pH of the extraction to form the genipin aglycone, extracting the genipin aglycone from the mixture using a non-polar solvent； and processing the extract to form a material containing at least about 70% genipin using one or more steps selected from mixing, separating, heat treatment, pH adjustment, enzyme treatment and solvent removal.
