Sialic Acid
Sialic Acid, in its dominant commercial form, is N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), a nine-carbon amino sugar that occupies the terminal positions of many human glycoproteins, glycolipids, and milk oligosaccharides.
The compound has CAS number 131-48-6 and the molecular formula C₁₁H₁₉NO₉. It is best known in nutrition for its presence in human milk and in the traditional ingredient edible swallow's nest, where it is the main active component.
We source bulk Sialic Acid from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Hubei, Henan and Shandong. 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
Grades / Types Available: Food Grade
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Assay (Neu5Ac, HPLC) | ≥ 98% |
| Specific Rotation [α]D²⁰ | -32° to -34° |
| Moisture | ≤ 1.0% |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤ 1 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | ≤ 100 cfu/g |
| Purity/Assay | ≥ 98% |
| Moisture/Loss on Drying | ≤ 5% |
| pH | 4.5 - 7.0 |
| Particle Size/Mesh | 100% pass 80 mesh |
| Lead | ≤ 1 ppm |
| Arsenic | ≤ 0.5 ppm |
| Yeast & Mold | ≤ 100 cfu/g |
Common Markets Grades
Commercial sialic acid is graded by purity and source.
Microbial fermentation grade at 98 percent or higher Neu5Ac assay is the standard format for infant formula and adult supplements. It is a white crystalline powder with low residual protein and endotoxin.
An edible swallow's nest extract grade carries 5 to 10 percent native sialic acid for traditional Asian nutrition products, where the source story matters more than the assay number.
A pharmaceutical reference grade at 99 percent or higher purity is produced for analytical work and for use as a starting material in synthesis of sialylated standards.
Particle size and bulk density are controlled for direct-compression tablet use in some grades.
Applications
- Infant and follow-on formula as a brain-development positioned nutrient
- Toddler nutrition powders and growing-up milks
- Maternal nutrition products for pregnancy and lactation
- Brain-health supplements for adults targeting cognitive maintenance
- Premium edible swallow's nest beverages and ready-to-eat jars
- Functional beverages combining sialic acid with DHA and choline
- Cosmetic serums positioned around skin hydration and barrier support
- Sports recovery products in selected Asian markets
- Geriatric nutrition products with cognitive positioning
- Research reagents and analytical standards in glycobiology laboratories
Brands Using Sialic Acid
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Sialic Acid on the ingredient label.
- Golden NestGold Edible Bird's Nest AAA ↗Golden Nest's edible bird's nest products contain sialic acid along with glycoproteins, amino acids and trace minerals.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Ecological Formulas (Cardiovascular Research)Sialex Sialic Acid Concentrate 500 mg Capsules ↗A 500 mg mucin-based capsule supplying sialic acid (N-acetylneuraminic acid).Label verified 2026-05-24
- The Eastern PhilosophySuperior Bird's Nest with Reduced Rock Sugar ↗The Eastern Philosophy's ready-to-drink edible bird's nest is sold as a beauty-and-wellness tonic naturally rich in sialic acid and bioactive glycoproteins.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 Sialic Acid
Top Sialic Acid manufacturers in China.
CABIO Biotech (Wuhan) Co., Ltd.9 ingredients in the directory- New Tuoyang Bio-engineering Co., Ltd.8 ingredients in the directory
Shandong Holy Leaf Biotechnology Co., Ltd.4 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 Sialic 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 Sialic 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 Sialic Acid together with other ingredients such as Arachidonic Acid, Coenzyme Q10 and Chondroitin Sulphate Sodium into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
N-acetylneuraminic acid produced by microbial fermentation was authorised in the European Union as a novel food in 2017 for use in food supplements, infant formula, follow-on formula, and a defined list of other food categories.
In the United States it has GRAS status under multiple GRAS Notices covering infant formula and general food use.
Several Asian markets including China, Korea, and Japan permit fermentation-derived sialic acid as a food ingredient under local nutrition and novel-ingredient frameworks.
Edible swallow's nest as the natural source has a long traditional-food history across East and Southeast Asia and is regulated as a food in those markets.
Halal and Kosher certifications exist for the fermentation grade when the upstream fermentation media and processing aids qualify.
Manufacturing Process
Two routes account for nearly all current supply.
The first is microbial fermentation. Engineered Escherichia coli strains expressing the N-acetylneuraminic acid biosynthesis genes are fed glucose and an N-acetylglucosamine precursor in fed-batch fermenters. The strain accumulates Neu5Ac extracellularly, which is then recovered from the broth.
Downstream processing uses cell separation, activated carbon decolorisation, ion exchange, and crystallisation to yield high-purity Neu5Ac. Yields and titers have improved sharply over the past decade, which has made this route the dominant one by volume.
The second route is extraction from edible swallow's nest, used primarily for products that need the traditional ingredient story. Cleaned nests are hot-water extracted, the extract is concentrated, and sialic acid is either left at native level or partially enriched for the supplement market.
A minor enzymatic route uses sialidases applied to whey or egg byproducts that carry sialylated glycans, releasing free Neu5Ac for subsequent purification.
