Folate
Folate is the generic term covering all biologically active forms of vitamin B9, including folic acid, dihydrofolate, tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, and folinic acid (CAS 134-35-0 for 5-methyltetrahydrofolate).
The family shares the pteroyl-glutamate skeleton and the function of transferring one-carbon units in purine, thymidylate, and methionine metabolism. In commercial supply the term folate is often used to distinguish reduced, body-ready forms from the synthetic, oxidised folic acid sold under that separate identity.
We source bulk Folate from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturer is in Shanghai. 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 | Yellow to yellow-orange fine powder |
| Assay (HPLC, dry basis) | ≥96.0% |
| Loss on Drying | ≤8.5% |
| Ash (sulphated) | ≤0.5% |
| Specific Rotation | +18° to +22° |
| Residual Solvents | Complies with USP |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤10 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤2 mg/kg |
| Particle Size (100 mesh) | ≥98% |
| Total Plate Count | ≤1,000 cfu/g |
| Salmonella | Absent in 10g |
Common Markets Grades
Several commercial forms are grouped under the folate label, each with distinct positioning.
L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium salt, also called L-methylfolate or Metafolin, assays at 96 to 102 percent and is a fine white-to-cream crystalline powder. It is the active circulating form of folate in human plasma and is the dominant premium ingredient in prenatal, mood, and methylation-focused supplements.
L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate glucosamine salt, marketed as Quatrefolic, is a more soluble and stable alternative sold at 95 percent assay on a glucosamine basis. It is preferred for liquid supplements, gummies, and applications where solubility matters.
Folinic acid (calcium folinate, leucovorin) runs at 97 percent assay as the calcium salt for pharmaceutical use, particularly in methotrexate rescue therapy and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy regimens.
Natural folate concentrates from lemon peel, broccoli sprouts, or whole-food matrices carry 1 to 5 percent total folate equivalents for whole-food supplement brands seeking food-based label claims.
Applications
- Premium prenatal vitamins positioned around methylation and MTHFR polymorphism support
- Adult multivitamins and B-complex supplements using 5-MTHF in place of folic acid
- Mood and cognitive support supplements combining 5-MTHF with B12 methylcobalamin and B6 P5P
- Cardiovascular and homocysteine-management formulas pairing folate with B12 and B6
- Liquid supplements, sublingual sprays, and gummies using the more soluble glucosamine salt
- Whole-food supplement brands using lemon, broccoli, or sprout-derived natural folate concentrates
- Pharmaceutical leucovorin (calcium folinate) for methotrexate rescue and 5-fluorouracil potentiation
- Clinical nutrition formulas for patients with documented MTHFR variants or folate-responsive conditions
- Fertility and assisted-reproduction supplement protocols for both partners
- Pediatric and infant formulations where conversion capacity is limited
- Sports nutrition formulas marketed on bioavailable B-vitamin claims
- Reference and analytical standards for serum and red-cell folate assays
Brands Using Folate
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Folate on the ingredient label.
- ThorneBasic Prenatal ↗Prenatal multivitamin delivering folate as L-5-MTHF (active methylfolate) form rather than folic acid.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Thorne5-MTHF 1 mg ↗Single-ingredient L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), the bioactive folate form, 1 mg per capsule.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Pure EncapsulationsB-Complex Plus ↗Folate provided as Metafolin (L-5-MTHF) 667 mcg DFE (400 mcg L-5-MTHF) per capsule.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Pure EncapsulationsPreNatal Nutrients ↗Prenatal formula uses Metafolin L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the body-ready form of folate.Label verified 2026-05-24
- SolgarFolate 1,333 mcg DFE (Metafolin 800 mcg) Tablets ↗Each tablet contains 800 mcg L-methylfolate as Metafolin, the body-ready active folate form.Label verified 2026-05-24
- New ChapterPerfect Prenatal Multivitamin ↗Prenatal delivers folate as Methylfolate (active L-5-MTHF) at over 100% DV.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Garden of Lifemykind Organics Prenatal Multi ↗Provides 800 mcg of whole-food natural folate (sourced from organic lemon peel) per serving.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 Folate
Top Folate 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 Folate
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 Folate 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 Folate together with other ingredients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 and Vitamin E into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
The reduced folate forms are approved as nutrients in major regulated markets.
In the European Union, Directive 2002/46/EC authorises L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate calcium salt and the glucosamine salt for food supplements, following novel-food approval in 2004 and 2010 respectively. Both count toward the same upper intake level of 1000 mcg/day in dietary folate equivalents that applies to folic acid.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted L-5-MTHF calcium salt as a GRAS ingredient (GRN 000626) for use in foods and supplements. The glucosamine salt is also self-affirmed GRAS for supplement use.
The USP, Ph. Eur., and JP approve folinic acid (calcium folinate) as a pharmaceutical active, with use governed by prescription medicine regulation rather than food law.
The premium positioning of natural folate over folic acid is driven by the MTHFR C677T polymorphism, present in around 40 percent of the global population, which reduces conversion of folic acid to the active 5-MTHF. Supplement marketing emphasises that 5-MTHF bypasses this conversion step entirely, though regulatory authorities generally treat the forms as equivalent for nutritional purposes.
Manufacturing Process
The reduced folate forms are produced by chemical synthesis from folic acid, with chiral resolution to obtain the natural L-isomer.
For L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, folic acid is first reduced catalytically to tetrahydrofolate, then methylated at the N5 position with formaldehyde under reducing conditions. The product is racemic at the C6 centre and must be resolved enzymatically or by chiral crystallisation to give the natural L-form.
The free acid is unstable to oxygen and is isolated as the calcium or glucosamine salt to stabilise it. Material is packed under nitrogen with oxygen scavengers and protected from light during shipping and storage. The glucosamine salt was developed specifically to improve solubility and stability over the calcium form.
Folinic acid (5-formyltetrahydrofolate) is produced from tetrahydrofolate by formylation and isolated as the calcium salt. Natural-folate concentrates are produced by hot-water or hydroalcoholic extraction of folate-rich plant materials followed by membrane concentration and spray-drying.
The L-5-MTHF technology was originally developed by Eprova in Switzerland (now Merck KGaA) and by Gnosis in Italy (now Lonza), and a small number of producers in China and India have entered the market under expired patent positions.
