Citric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides
Citric Acid Esters Of Mono And Diglycerides, commonly abbreviated CITREM, are food emulsifiers produced by esterifying monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids with citric acid. They carry the European food additive number E472c and are valued for strong oil-in-water emulsifying performance combined with metal-ion chelation activity.
The material is a soft waxy solid, paste, or pourable liquid depending on the fatty acid profile and degree of neutralisation. The citric acid head group introduces multiple polar oxygen functionalities that lift hydrophilicity well above that of the parent monoglyceride.
We source bulk Citric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturer is in Guangdong. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
or call +86-21-6858 0751
- Packaging
- 250 kg plastic drum or 1,000 kg IBC tote
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
Grades / Types Available: Food Grade, Feed Grade
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Yellow to brown waxy solid or viscous liquid |
| Acid Value | 40-130 mg KOH/g |
| Total Citric Acid | 13-30% |
| Free Glycerol | ≤ 2.0% |
| Free Fatty Acids | ≤ 3.0% |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 3 mg/kg |
| Purity/Assay (Food Grade) | ≥ 95% |
| Moisture/Loss on Drying | ≤ 5% |
| pH (1% solution) | 5.0 - 7.0 |
| Lead | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | ≤ 1000 cfu/g |
| Yeast & Mold | ≤ 100 cfu/g |
Common Markets Grades
CITREM is graded by physical form, neutralisation state, and parent fat source.
Liquid grades carry partially neutralised citrate groups and serve plant-based beverage and dairy alternative applications. Solid and paste grades are produced for bakery, margarine, and culinary fat use.
Sodium-neutralised grades present a softer, more dispersible profile suited to cold-water beverages. Calcium-neutralised grades carry tighter melt behaviour for fat structure modification.
Parent fat selection varies by application. Sunflower-source CITREM is preferred for clean-label and infant nutrition, while palm and soybean-source grades dominate bakery and shortening use.
Applications
- Plant-based beverages including oat, soy, almond, and coconut drinks
- Infant formula and follow-on nutrition products
- Margarine, shortening, and culinary fat blends
- Bakery doughs and batters for crumb softness
- Coffee creamers and dairy whiteners
- Whipped toppings and aerosol cream bases
- Meat emulsions for sausages and frankfurters
- Spreads and emulsified condiments
- Iron and metal-ion chelation in oxidation-prone systems
- Pharmaceutical creams and emulsion formulations
- Cosmetic skincare emulsions
- Beverage flavour and colour emulsions
China Manufacturers of Citric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides
Top Citric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides manufacturers in China.
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
How We Help Source Citric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides
Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Citric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Citric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides together with other ingredients such as Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Non-Dairy Creamer and Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
CITREM is approved as a food additive under E472c in the European Union for general food use at quantum satis. The European Commission specifically permits its use in infant formula and follow-on formula at defined maximum levels.
The United States Food and Drug Administration lists citric acid esters of mono and diglycerides as Generally Recognized as Safe under 21 CFR 182.4521 for use as a sequestrant.
JECFA evaluated the citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol and concluded that an intake limit was not required.
The Food Chemicals Codex carries a monograph covering identification, free citric acid, free fatty acid, and free glycerol tests. Kosher and Halal certifications are widely available, with non-GMO and organic options offered for plant-source grades.
Manufacturing Process
CITREM is produced by esterifying monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids with citric acid.
The starting monoglyceride or distilled monoglyceride is melted and charged to a stirred reactor. Anhydrous citric acid is added at a controlled rate at temperatures between 100 and 140 degrees Celsius under inert atmosphere. The esterification reaction proceeds with water as the byproduct, which is removed under reduced pressure.
Selected grades are partially neutralised by adding food-grade sodium or calcium hydroxide to the reaction mixture, which yields the corresponding citrate salt and shifts the product profile toward more polar applications.
The reaction mixture is filtered, cooled, and shaped into the target physical form. Solid grades are flaked or pelleted. Paste and liquid grades are packaged warm to maintain pourability. Quality control covers acid value, free glycerol, free fatty acid, and citric acid content.
