SourceIngredients
E296 · CAS 6915-15-7

DL-Malic Acid

DL-Malic Acid is the synthetic racemic form of malic acid, a dicarboxylic alpha-hydroxy acid widely used as an acidulant, flavour enhancer, and pH control agent in food and beverage formulation.

The compound carries the formula C₄H₆O₅ and consists of equal parts of the naturally occurring L-isomer and its mirror-image D-isomer. Both forms share identical titratable acidity and buffering behaviour, which is why the racemate is the standard acidulant in most cost-driven applications.

Its smooth, lingering tartness and strong flavour-fixing effect distinguish it from sharper acids such as citric or fumaric, making it the default choice for sour confectionery and reformulated reduced-sugar beverages.

We source bulk DL-Malic Acid from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are mostly in Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong. For this ingredient the minimum order is 1,000 kg and a 20-foot container takes 20 MT, and 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

DL-Malic Acid
Minimum order
1,000 kg
Qty in 20' FCL
20 MT
Packaging
25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
  • ISO 9001
  • HACCP
  • Halal
  • Kosher

Specifications

ItemSpecification
AppearanceWhite crystals or crystalline powder
Assay99.0% to 100.5%
Specific rotation−0.10° to +0.10°
Residue on ignition≤ 0.1%
Loss on drying≤ 0.5%
Heavy metals (as Pb)≤ 10 mg/kg
Arsenic≤ 3 mg/kg
Fumaric acid≤ 1.0%
Particle sizePer customer specification

Common Markets Grades

DL-Malic Acid is produced almost exclusively in solid crystalline form at 99.0 to 100.5 percent assay.

The standard food grade is a white, free-flowing crystal or granule with a typical particle distribution between 0.2 mm and 1.5 mm. It dissolves rapidly in cold water and is the format used in dry-mix beverages, hard candies, and bakery acidulation.

A fine-powder grade, milled below 100 mesh, is produced for tableted confectionery, effervescent products, and instant drink powders where rapid hydration is required.

A coarse or granular grade is used in extruded sour candy belts and panned coatings, where slower release of acidity helps balance the sweetener system.

Pharmaceutical and technical grades are also produced. The technical grade serves metal cleaning, textile finishing, and cosmetic chemistry, while the pharmaceutical grade conforms to USP, BP, and Ph. Eur. malic acid monographs.

Applications

  • Hard candies, chewy candies, and sour gummies for sustained tartness and flavour lift
  • Powdered drink mixes, sports drinks, and ready-to-drink fruit beverages
  • Cider, fruit wines, and flavoured alcoholic seltzers as a pH adjuster
  • Sugar-free and stevia-sweetened beverages to mask bitter off-notes
  • Fruit-filled bakery products including pie fillings, jams, and jellies
  • Dairy desserts, sorbets, and frozen fruit bars
  • Pickled vegetables, sauces, and dressings for acidification
  • Processed meats and seafood as part of acid-marinade systems
  • Effervescent tablets and powdered dietary supplements
  • Toothpaste, mouthwash, and oral-care formulations for flavour balance
  • Skin-care exfoliants and cosmetic peels at low concentration
  • Industrial metal cleaning, textile mordanting, and electroplating baths

Brands Using DL-Malic Acid

Widely-distributed consumer products that list DL-Malic Acid on the ingredient label.

Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.

China Manufacturers of DL-Malic Acid

Top DL-Malic Acid 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 DL-Malic Acid

  • 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 DL-Malic Acid 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 DL-Malic Acid together with other ingredients such as Calcium Acetate, Citric Acid and Glucono-Delta-Lactone into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.

Regulatory Status

DL-Malic Acid is approved as a food additive in all major regulated markets.

In the European Union it is listed under E296 and permitted at quantum satis in most food categories, with explicit exclusions from products intended for infants and young children.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies malic acid as Generally Recognized as Safe under 21 CFR 184.1069, allowing use in a broad range of food categories at levels consistent with good manufacturing practice.

JECFA has evaluated malic acid (both racemic and L-forms) and concluded that the acceptable daily intake need not be specified, reflecting its low toxicity and natural presence in many fruits.

Monographs appear in the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), the United States Pharmacopeia, the British Pharmacopoeia, and the European Pharmacopoeia. The synthetic origin from petrochemical maleic anhydride is generally not labelled, and the material is accepted under most Halal and Kosher certifications.

Manufacturing Process

Industrial DL-Malic Acid is produced by the hydration of maleic anhydride or maleic acid.

The feedstock maleic anhydride is reacted with water at elevated temperature and pressure (around 180 to 200 degrees Celsius, 1 to 2 MPa) in a stirred reactor. Under these conditions a mixture of malic and fumaric acid is generated, with the equilibrium favoring malic acid.

The resulting solution is cooled, fumaric acid is filtered off as a sparingly soluble by-product, and the mother liquor is concentrated under vacuum. Crystallisation yields the racemic DL-malic acid as fine prisms, which are centrifuged, washed, and dried.

Recovered fumaric acid is either recycled to the hydration step or diverted as a separate acidulant product, so little of the feed is wasted. Final purification by recrystallisation from water delivers food-grade assay above 99 percent.

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