Ferrous Gluconate
Ferrous Gluconate is the iron(II) salt of gluconic acid, valued as a gentle oral iron source and as the food colour fixative that turns ripe black olives uniformly black.
The compound, CAS 299-29-6, is typically sold as the dihydrate with formula C12H22FeO14 2H2O. It is a pale greenish-yellow to yellow-grey powder with a mild iron taste and carries roughly 12 percent elemental iron, lower than sulphate or fumarate but with markedly better gastrointestinal tolerance.
We source bulk Ferrous Gluconate from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Shandong, Liaoning and Zhejiang. For this ingredient the minimum order is 500 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
- Minimum order
- 500 kg
- Qty in 20' FCL
- 20 MT
- Packaging
- 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
- Function
- Mineral salt
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale greenish yellow to yellowish grey fine powder, slight caramel-like odour |
| Identification (iron and gluconate) | Conforms |
| Assay (C₁₂H₂₂FeO₁₄, dried basis) | 95.0 – 102.0% |
| Iron (Fe) | 11.8 – 12.5% |
| Ferric Iron | ≤ 2.0% |
| Loss on Drying (105 °C) | 6.5 – 10.0% |
| pH (5% aqueous solution, 20 °C) | 4.0 – 5.5 |
| Chloride (as Cl) | ≤ 0.07% |
| Sulfate (as SO₄) | ≤ 0.10% |
| Oxalic Acid | Negative |
| Reducing Sugars | Conforms |
| Particle Size | 100% through 40 mesh |
| Lead | ≤ 2.0 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 3.0 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | ≤ 1,000 CFU/g |
Common Markets Grades
Pharmaceutical grade ferrous gluconate complies with USP, BP, and Ph. Eur. monographs and is the standard input for hematinic tablets, elixirs, and pediatric liquid drops.
Food grade material meets FCC and JECFA specifications and comes in fine and granular cuts for olive processing, infant formula premixes, and beverage fortification.
Spray-dried and agglomerated grades dissolve faster in cold water and are preferred for ready-to-drink beverages and instant-mix powders, where rapid hydration without grit is required.
Coated grades use lipid or polysaccharide encapsulation to mask the residual iron note in flavoured chewables and gummies.
Applications
- Oral iron supplements positioned around tolerability: tablets, elixirs, and pediatric drops
- Black olive processing as the colour fixative that reacts with phenolics to produce a stable jet-black surface in ripe California-style olives
- Infant formula and follow-on formula as a permitted source of iron
- Fortified ready-to-drink beverages, flavoured milks, and nutritional shakes
- Clinical nutrition and tube feeding formulas where sulphate-related GI side effects are unacceptable
- Prenatal and adult multivitamins at the well-tolerated tier between gluconate and chelate positioning
- Fortified breakfast cereals, instant oats, and meal replacement powders
- Confectionery and gummy iron formats for pediatric and consumer-friendly delivery
- Medical foods for inflammatory bowel disease and post-bariatric patients
- Veterinary oral iron products for companion animals
Brands Using Ferrous Gluconate
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Ferrous Gluconate on the ingredient label.
- FloradixFloradix Iron + Herbs Liquid Herbal Supplement ↗Floradix Iron + Herbs liquid supplies 10 mg iron per serving as ferrous gluconate, with B vitamins, vitamin C, herbal extracts and fruit juice concentrates.Label verified 2026-05-24
- FloradixFloravital Iron + Herbs Liquid (Vegan/Yeast-Free) ↗Floravital (the vegan/yeast-free version of Floradix) uses the same ferrous gluconate iron source plus C and B vitamins in a fruit-juice base; gluten-free and lactose-free.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 Ferrous Gluconate
Top Ferrous Gluconate manufacturers in China.
- Liao Yang Teng Yuan Food Additive Factory6 ingredients in the directory
Shandong Xinhong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.9 ingredients in the directory
Shandong Zhongxing Food Technology Co., Ltd.8 ingredients in the directory
Zhejiang Tianyi Food Additives Co., Ltd.10 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 Ferrous Gluconate
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 Ferrous Gluconate 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 Ferrous Gluconate 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
Ferrous Gluconate is approved as a food additive, dietary supplement source of iron, and active pharmaceutical ingredient in essentially all regulated markets.
In the United States it is GRAS for use in food under 21 CFR 184.1308, with specific authorisation as a colour fixative in ripe olives, and it appears as a permitted source of iron in dietary supplements.
The European Union assigns it the E number E579 as a permitted colour fixative for olives, and lists it 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 ferrous gluconate as a food additive and source of iron.
Pharmacopoeial monographs appear in USP, BP, Ph. Eur., and JP. Halal and Kosher certifications are routinely available, and material from glucose-fermentation feedstock is suitable for vegan labelling.
Manufacturing Process
Industrial synthesis starts from gluconic acid or its sodium salt, which is itself produced by aerobic fermentation of glucose using Aspergillus niger or Gluconobacter oxydans. The fermentation is mature large-scale chemistry shared with sodium and calcium gluconate manufacture.
Gluconic acid in aqueous solution is reacted with ferrous carbonate or with freshly precipitated ferrous hydroxide under a nitrogen blanket. The reaction proceeds at mildly elevated temperature with stirring until the solid iron source is fully consumed.
The clear yellow-green liquor is filtered to remove unreacted carbonate, then concentrated and crystallised. The dihydrate precipitates on cooling and is collected by centrifugation, washed with cold deoxygenated water, and dried under vacuum at low temperature to preserve the Fe(II) oxidation state.
Residual ferric content, free gluconic acid, and reducing sugars are monitored against pharmacopoeial limits. The finished powder is milled and sieved to the target particle size.
