Ferric Pyrophosphate
Ferric Pyrophosphate is the iron(III) salt of pyrophosphoric acid and the workhorse iron source for sensory-neutral fortification of milk, plant-based beverages, infant cereals, and chocolate products.
The compound, CAS 10058-44-3, has formula Fe4(P2O7)3 and is a near-white, off-white, or pale tan fine powder. It carries roughly 25 percent elemental iron and is practically insoluble in water at neutral pH, which is the property that drives its use in delicate matrices where soluble iron salts would deliver metallic taste, colour change, or accelerated oxidation.
We source bulk Ferric Pyrophosphate from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Chongqing, Jiangsu and Henan. 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
- 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Off-white to pale tan fine powder |
| Identification (iron and pyrophosphate) | Conforms |
| Iron (Fe, dried basis) | 24.0 – 26.0% |
| Ferrous Iron | ≤ 0.5% |
| Loss on Drying (105 °C, 4 h) | ≤ 3.0% |
| Solubility | Practically insoluble in water, soluble in dilute mineral acids |
| pH (5% aqueous suspension, 25 °C) | 5.0 – 8.0 |
| Particle Size | ≥ 95% through 325 mesh |
| Sulfate (as SO₄) | ≤ 0.5% |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| Lead | ≤ 2.0 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 3.0 mg/kg |
| Cadmium | ≤ 1.0 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | ≤ 1,000 CFU/g |
| Salmonella | Negative/25g |
Common Markets Grades
Conventional food grade ferric pyrophosphate complies with FCC and JECFA specifications. The standard grade has a median particle size in the tens of microns and is used in dry premixes, cereals, bars, and bakery applications.
Micronized grades are the modern story for the molecule. Sun Active Iron from Taiyo Kagaku (Japan) was the breakthrough commercial brand: ferric pyrophosphate co-processed with emulsifiers into sub-micron particles that stay suspended in fluid milk and other beverages without sedimentation, grit, or metallic taste.
Several encapsulated and stabilised grades from other suppliers, including SunActive variants and competitor brands from European and Indian premix houses, target the same beverage and dairy fortification space.
Standard milled grades remain the default for cereal, biscuit, and bouillon-cube fortification, where the higher particle size is not a sensory issue and absorption can be aided by ascorbic acid co-fortification.
Applications
- Iron fortification of UHT and pasteurised fluid milk, the headline application for micronized grades
- Fortification of plant-based milks: soy, oat, almond, and coconut beverages
- Flavoured milk drinks, drinking yogurts, and dairy-based ready-to-drink products
- Infant cereals and follow-on cereal products where flavour neutrality is mandatory
- Chocolate-flavoured powders and ready-to-mix beverages
- Nutrition bars, biscuits, and bakery items
- Bouillon cubes, condiments, and salt fortification programs
- Premix manufacture for staple-food and condiment fortification
- Medical foods, clinical-nutrition powders, and meal replacements
- Functional waters and clear beverages where micronized particle suspension is achievable
Brands Using Ferric Pyrophosphate
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Ferric Pyrophosphate on the ingredient label.
- SwansonSunActive Non-Irritating Iron 15 mg Capsules ↗Swanson Ultra SunActive Iron supplies 15 mg elemental iron as micronized ferric pyrophosphate (SunActive Fe by Taiyo) micro-encapsulated with a sunflower-lecithin emulsifier blend for gentle, non-irritating absorption.Label verified 2026-05-24
- AOR (Advanced Orthomolecular Research)Ortho Iron Capsules ↗Supplies 30 mg iron per capsule as SunActive Fe ferric pyrophosphate, with active-form B6, methylfolate, methyl-B12, copper and lactoferrin.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Mother DairyF+ Vitamin A and Iron Fortified Toned Milk ↗Mother Dairy's F+ fortified toned milk in India is fortified with vitamin A and iron using ferric pyrophosphate as the iron source (per FSSAI's fortified-milk standards which specify ferric pyrophosphate), sold across Delhi, Punjab, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai.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 Ferric Pyrophosphate
Top Ferric Pyrophosphate manufacturers in China.
Reephos (Chongqing) Food Ingredients Co., Ltd.9 ingredients in the directory
Thermphos7 ingredients in the directory
Zhengzhou Ruipu Biological Engineering Co., Ltd.7 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 Ferric Pyrophosphate
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 Ferric Pyrophosphate 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 Ferric Pyrophosphate together with other ingredients such as Sodium Acetate, Calcium Citrate and Sodium Lactate into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
Ferric Pyrophosphate is approved as a source of iron in food supplements and fortified foods in essentially all regulated markets.
In the United States it is GRAS for use as a nutrient supplement in food and is listed as a permitted source of iron in dietary supplements and conventional foods. The micronized SunActive variant carries its own GRAS notification.
The European Union permits ferric pyrophosphate as a source of iron in food supplements under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 and in infant and follow-on formulae under Regulation (EU) No 609/2013.
JECFA has evaluated ferric pyrophosphate, including micronized dispersed grades, as a fortification iron source and concluded that the micronized form delivers improved bioavailability over the conventional milled product.
Pharmacopoeial coverage is limited. Halal and Kosher certifications exist from the major suppliers, and material is suitable for vegan labelling.
Manufacturing Process
Conventional ferric pyrophosphate is produced by reacting a soluble ferric source, typically ferric chloride or ferric nitrate, with sodium or potassium pyrophosphate in aqueous solution. The product precipitates immediately as a fine pale solid. It is filtered, washed extensively to remove the sodium chloride or nitrate byproduct, and dried.
The dried solid is then milled to the target particle size distribution. Standard milled grades are produced by air-classifying mills. Micronized grades are produced by jet milling or wet-bead milling to push the median particle size well below 1 micron.
The Sun Active Iron process pioneered by Taiyo Kagaku adds an in-process step in which the micronized ferric pyrophosphate is co-processed with food-grade emulsifiers, typically sucrose esters or lecithin, and dispersed into a stable colloidal preparation. The dispersed grade behaves more like a soluble fortificant in fluid systems while retaining the absence of sensory impact that the insoluble salt is prized for.
Quality control covers iron assay, P2O5 content, particle size distribution by laser diffraction, and heavy metal limits to pharmacopoeial and FCC specifications.
