Erythorbic Acid
Erythorbic Acid is the D-isomeric counterpart of ascorbic acid, used industrially as the antioxidant and oxygen scavenger food additive E315.
The molecule, D-isoascorbic acid (CAS 89-65-6, C₆H₈O₆, molecular weight 176.12 g/mol), is a white to slightly yellow crystalline powder structurally identical to ascorbic acid except for the inverted stereochemistry at C-5. The change in configuration eliminates vitamin C activity in humans but preserves the strong reducing power that drives its industrial usefulness.
We source bulk Erythorbic Acid from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Jiangxi, Henan and Shandong. For this ingredient the minimum order is 3,000 kg and a 20-foot container takes 22 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
- Minimum order
- 3,000 kg
- Qty in 20' FCL
- 22 MT
- Packaging
- 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to pale yellow crystalline powder |
| Assay (dry basis) | 99.0% to 100.5% |
| Specific rotation | -16.5° to -18.0° |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 0.4% |
| pH (10% solution) | 2.1 to 2.5 |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 3 mg/kg |
| Residue on ignition | ≤ 0.3% |
| Particle size | Per customer specification |
Common Markets Grades
Erythorbic Acid is produced primarily in fine crystalline and powder grades for direct addition to brines, marinades, and beverage premixes.
The standard commercial assay is not less than 99 percent on a dried basis.
Granular grades are produced for dry blending and direct compression into effervescent tablets used in industrial cleaning.
FCC food-grade and JECFA-compliant material is the standard supply. Pharmacopoeial-grade material is less common because the molecule has limited pharmaceutical use, but it is produced to customer specification.
The two principal global producers historically have been Pfizer (now divested) and Chinese fermentation manufacturers in Hebei and Shandong, which today account for the majority of world supply.
Applications
- Cured meat processing as a cure accelerator and colour fixative in sausages, hams, and frankfurters
- Beverage oxygen scavenging in bottled water, juices, and ready-to-drink products
- Frozen vegetable processing to prevent enzymatic browning
- Canned fruit colour preservation, particularly for peaches, apricots, and pears
- Wine and beer processing as an oxidation control during bottling
- Fish and seafood processing as an antioxidant in glazes and brines
- Bakery dough conditioner in combination with ascorbic acid
- Industrial water treatment as an oxygen scavenger in boiler feed water
- Photographic developer formulations
- Metal surface treatment and dechlorination
- Effervescent cleaning tablets for hard-water descaling
Brands Using Erythorbic Acid
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Erythorbic Acid on the ingredient label.
- HormelHORMEL Homestyle Chili with Beans ↗Ingredient panel lists Modified Cornstarch containing Erythorbic Acid as part of the component.Label verified 2026-05-24
- HormelHORMEL Beef Tamales ↗Ingredient panel includes 'Modified Cornstarch (Erythorbic Acid)' within the listed components.Label verified 2026-05-24
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 Erythorbic Acid
Top Erythorbic Acid manufacturers in China.
- Jiangxi Dexing PARCHN Sodium Isovitamin C Co., Ltd.4 ingredients in the directory
- New Tuoyang Bio-engineering Co., Ltd.8 ingredients in the directory
Zhucheng Huayuan Bioengineering Co., Ltd.3 ingredients in the directory
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 Erythorbic 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 Erythorbic 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 Erythorbic Acid together with other ingredients such as Ascorbyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA and Ferric Sodium Edetate into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
Erythorbic Acid is approved as a food additive antioxidant in essentially every regulated market.
In the European Union it carries the E number E315, permitted under Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 in defined cured meat and fish categories.
The U.S. FDA lists it under 21 CFR 182.3041 (GRAS as a chemical preservative).
USDA FSIS regulations specifically permit erythorbic acid in cured meat at defined inclusion rates.
JECFA has reviewed the substance and assigned a group ADI with sodium erythorbate.
The substance carries no vitamin C activity for human nutrition and must not be declared as vitamin C on food labels. Kosher, Halal, and non-GMO certifications are routinely available.
Manufacturing Process
Erythorbic Acid is produced industrially by a microbial route analogous to the second-generation ascorbic acid process but starting from D-glucose by way of 2-keto-D-gluconic acid rather than the L-ascorbic precursor sorbose.
The intermediate 2-keto-D-gluconic acid is methylated, lactonized, and rearranged to D-isoascorbic acid (erythorbic acid) under controlled alkaline conditions.
An alternative route ferments sucrose directly with Penicillium notatum to D-isoascorbic acid in a single step, although this route is now less common.
The crude product is decolorised, recrystallised from aqueous ethanol, and dried under vacuum at temperatures below 60 degrees Celsius to prevent oxidative discoloration.
Each lot is verified by assay, specific rotation (to confirm the D-configuration), water content, heavy metals, and trace iron.
