Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
Few vitamin fortificants carry as much public-health weight as this one: folic acid fortification of staple flour is credited with measurably cutting neural-tube-defect rates wherever it has been mandated. That is the market this specification serves.
Chelora Chemicals supplies USP/BP-grade folic acid to food, supplement, infant-formula and animal-feed manufacturers worldwide, with a batch COA on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 59-30-3
- IUPAC name
- Pteroylglutamic acid
- Molecular formula
- C₁₉H₁₉N₇O₆
- Molecular weight
- 441.4 g/mol
- EC / EINECS
- 200-419-0
- Hazard classification
- Not classified (GHS)
- Transport status
- Not a dangerous good
- HS Code
- 2936 29*
* Confirm the current HS classification and food/feed/pharma regulatory status for your destination with your own regulatory affairs team.
What Folic Acid is used for
Folic acid is a yellow to orange, odourless crystalline powder, the synthetic, fully oxidised form of folate (Vitamin B9). It is essential to DNA synthesis and cell division, and a well-documented body of public-health evidence links adequate folic acid intake before and during early pregnancy to a significantly reduced risk of neural-tube defects — which is why so many countries now mandate folic acid fortification of staple flour.
Its principal markets are staple-food fortification (flour, rice, maize meal, breakfast cereals), dietary supplements including prenatal and multivitamin formulations, infant formula, and animal feed premixes.
Folic acid versus folate, broadly
- Folic acid (this product) the stable, synthetic, fully oxidised form used in fortification and supplements.
- Dietary folate the naturally occurring reduced forms found in leafy greens, legumes and liver — less stable and less uniformly bioavailable than folic acid in fortified products.
- 5-MTHF (methylfolate) an alternative, pre-reduced supplement form sometimes specified for particular formulations — a different raw material from this product.
See our wider nutraceutical range for the other B-vitamin intermediates we supply, including niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5).
Appearance and handling character
The material is sparingly soluble in cold water (more soluble in warm water and dilute alkali) and is sensitive to prolonged light exposure, particularly in solution. It carries no GHS hazard classification and is not regulated as a dangerous good — the main practical handling point is light exclusion, not toxicological hazard.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Yellow to orange crystalline powder |
| Assay | 97.0 – 102.0% |
| UV absorbance ratio (A256/A365) | 2.80 – 3.0 |
| Water content | 5.0 – 8.5% |
| Residue on ignition | 0.3% max |
| Heavy metals | 20 ppm max |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial USP/BP-grade material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document. Confirm your target monograph before ordering.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Crystalline solid at ambient |
| Decomposition point | ~250 °C (does not sharply melt) |
| Water solubility | Sparingly soluble cold; more soluble warm or in dilute alkali |
| Light sensitivity | Degrades on prolonged light exposure |
| pH (saturated suspension) | ~4–5 |
| Hazard classification | Not classified under GHS/CLP |
Physical constants compiled from public reference and pharmacopoeia data for CAS 59-30-3 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this vitamin to work
Public-health fortification and everyday supplement manufacture both run on this specification.
Staple-food fortification
Added to wheat flour, maize meal and rice under mandatory national fortification programmes to reduce population-level neural-tube-defect risk.
- Food-grade documentation
- Compliant with major fortification standards
- Technical desk support on dosing
Prenatal & multivitamin supplements
A core ingredient in prenatal, multivitamin and B-complex formulations, usually in tablet or capsule form.
- USP/BP pharmacopoeia grades
- Compressibility data on request
- Small packs for formulation trials
Infant formula
Used at carefully controlled fortification levels in infant and follow-on formula to meet statutory Vitamin B9 content.
- Infant-formula-grade documentation package
- Heavy-metal and microbiological reporting
- Batch traceability to the producing plant
Animal feed & premix
A standard component of poultry, swine, aquaculture and companion-animal vitamin premixes.
- Feed-grade specification available
- Bulk-bag packing for premix houses
- Contracted annual tonnage supported
Beverage & functional-food fortification
Used in fortified juices, functional beverages and breakfast cereals to meet labelled Vitamin B9 content.
- Standard food-grade documentation
- Formulation guidance on light/heat stability
- Small packs for trial batches
Research & analytical use
Reference standard and small-scale formulation trial quantities with the same documentation as the commercial lot.
- Packs from 100 g
- Full analytical documentation available
- Retained sample held against the lot
How we supply Folic Acid
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. On a vitamin used in mandatory public-health fortification programmes, that means we route your order to a producer whose quality system is auditable, not just priced competitively.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your target monograph, your price point and your delivery window.
We keep a second qualified source on this line, because national fortification programmes cannot tolerate a supply gap, and we plan sourcing accordingly.
- UV absorbance ratio reported on every COA. Our check against identity and purity beyond a simple assay number.
- Target monograph confirmed before we quote. USP, BP/EP or feed-grade documentation differ, and we match before pricing.
- Light-excluding packing as standard. A specification point on a light-sensitive vitamin, not packaging detail.
- Fortification-level dosing guidance. We point you to your own regulatory team for the figures, but we know where the common formulation questions sit.
- Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request, standard for a public-health-relevant ingredient.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Classification, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
Packed the way your plant receives it
On a light-sensitive vitamin, the pack is protecting potency as much as containing the product. Tell us your production-line format and we will quote to it.
Fibre drums, opaque-lined
The standard commercial format, with a light-excluding, moisture-barrier inner liner to protect potency.
Light-excluding packing
Standard rather than optional on this material, given its documented potency loss on prolonged light exposure.
Bulk bags (FIBC)
For contracted fortification-programme and premix-house volumes, opaque and moisture-barrier lined.
Trial / sample quantities
Small, light-protected packs dispatched for formulation or shelf-stability trials before a commercial order is placed.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with documentation filed before the booking is made.
Contracted call-off supply
We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your fortification programme's production calendar.
A vitamin ingredient with no GHS hazard classification
Folic acid carries no GHS hazard classification and is not regulated as a dangerous good. The guidance below is good-manufacturing-practice orientation — your facility's own food/pharma handling procedures and the SDS supplied with your consignment remain the governing documents.
Hazard classification
Folic acid is not classified as hazardous under GHS/CLP and is not regulated as a dangerous good for any mode of transport. It is nonetheless handled under standard good-manufacturing-practice housekeeping, since any fine powder deserves dust control regardless of toxicological classification.
General handling notes
Light exclusion is the single most important practical point on this material.
- Minimise light exposure during transfer. Potency loss accelerates with prolonged light exposure, particularly once the material is in solution.
- Routine dust control on transfer. Good practice for any fine powder on a production line.
- Standard food/pharma PPE. Gloves and a dust mask are reasonable good practice during bulk handling and weighing.
- No special spill procedure required. Sweep or vacuum and dispose of as ordinary solid waste, or reclaim if within specification.
Storage
- Cool, dry, dark warehouse storage. Light exclusion protects potency more than any other single storage factor.
- Keep containers tightly closed between uses. Reseal promptly to limit light and moisture exposure.
- Avoid prolonged exposure once dissolved. If formulating a liquid product, minimise the time the solution spends exposed to light.
- Rotate stock on a first-in-first-out basis. Straightforward inventory practice for any vitamin raw material with a defined shelf life.
Handling & PPE
- Standard GMP handling. Treat it as you would any bulk vitamin or nutraceutical powder ingredient in a food, feed or pharma facility.
- Dust mask and gloves during bulk transfer. Reasonable good practice rather than a hazard-driven requirement.
- Work under subdued lighting where practical. A genuine, if modest, potency-preservation measure during extended processing.
- Food-contact-grade equipment where relevant. Standard requirement for food and infant-formula fortification lines.
Transport
Folic acid is not regulated as a dangerous good for air, sea or road transport under IATA, IMDG or ADR/RID rules. It ships as ordinary general cargo, ideally in opaque packing to protect potency in transit — ask us for a freight quote alongside your product pricing.
What travels with every consignment
On a vitamin used in mandatory public-health fortification programmes, the paper trail is as important as the assay.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-specific assay, UV absorbance ratio, water content, heavy metals and microbiological results against your chosen monograph.
Safety Data Sheet
Full-section SDS covering composition, handling, storage and disposal, in the language your destination requires.
Monograph compliance statement
Written confirmation of compliance with the USP or BP/EP monograph you have specified, for your fortification-programme filing.
Non-GMO & allergen statements
Standard declarations requested by food, infant-formula and supplement customers, issued by the producing plant.
Certificate of Origin
Chamber-attested where required, plus preferential-origin forms where a trade agreement gives your import duty relief.
Retained & pre-shipment samples
Pre-shipment samples carry the same COA as the commercial lot, so what your laboratory qualifies is exactly what arrives.
A molecule built from three functional pieces
Folic acid's structure — a pteridine ring, para-aminobenzoic acid, and glutamic acid — explains both its biochemistry and its handling character. The outline below is general background, not a process disclosure.
Build the pteridine ring
Industrial routes construct the pteridine component from appropriate precursors under controlled conditions.
Couple to PABA-glutamate
The pteridine unit is condensed with para-aminobenzoylglutamic acid to form the complete folic-acid structure.
Crystallise and purify
The product is crystallised, washed and dried to pharmacopoeia purity under light-controlled conditions.
Mill and QC release
Particle size is adjusted for the target application and the batch is tested against the specified monograph before release.
Why it matters biologically
Folic acid is converted in the body to tetrahydrofolate derivatives that are essential to:
- DNA and RNA synthesis. One-carbon transfer reactions central to nucleotide production and cell division.
- Neural-tube development. Adequate intake before and during early pregnancy is specifically linked to reduced neural-tube-defect risk, the central rationale for staple-food fortification mandates.
- Red blood cell formation. Deficiency is a recognised cause of megaloblastic anaemia.
- Fully oxidised stability. This is precisely why the synthetic, oxidised folic-acid form — not the reduced natural folates — is the fortification standard: it survives processing and storage far better.
That public-health weight is also why documentation matters so much here — a batch entering a national fortification programme needs the same rigor as a pharmaceutical active, even though the molecule itself carries no hazard classification.
| Material | Position in the family |
|---|---|
| Folic acid CAS 59-30-3 — this product | Vitamin B9 |
| Niacinamide CAS 98-92-0 | Vitamin B3 |
| Calcium pantothenate CAS 137-08-6 | Vitamin B5 |
| Vitamin E acetate CAS 7695-91-2 | Fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin |
We supply across this vitamin and nutraceutical range — see the full intermediate range. Send the CAS number and we will confirm the correct material before quoting.
What actually moves the price of this product
Knowing what drives the quote helps you time a purchase and read whether an offer is realistic.
Specialty precursor costs
Production depends on several specialty intermediates, so changes in those upstream markets filter through over a quarter, not a day.
- We flag feedstock-driven moves in the quote
- Longer contracts smooth short-term swings
- Ask about indexed pricing on large volumes
Grade and documentation
USP/BP pharmacopoeia grade with full compliance documentation costs more than a bulk food-grade fortificant of similar nominal assay.
- Tell us the real monograph you need
- We will say when food grade will do
- Over-specification is the commonest cost leak
Light-excluding packing
Opaque, moisture-barrier packing adds a modest cost over standard drums but protects potency through transit and storage.
- Compare packing cost against potency-loss risk
- Ask about light-excluding packing upgrades
- We quote both standard and upgraded packing
Freight and packing format
Non-dangerous-goods status keeps freight simple — bulk bags typically beat drums on a landed-cost basis at volume.
- Compare on landed cost, not ex-works
- Ask about bulk-bag pricing at contracted volumes
- We quote FOB, CIF, CFR or DDP as you prefer
Source geography & programme timing
National fortification tenders can concentrate demand into specific windows, which can move lead time more than price.
- We hold a second qualified source on this line
- Flag known tender windows early
- Regional stock can shorten lead time materially
Shelf life and inventory
A 24-36 month shelf life (sealed, dark) gives flexibility to buy ahead of a forecast price move, provided light-excluding packing is maintained.
- Buy to schedule rather than to price alone
- We hold inventory and release on call-off
- Ask about scheduled despatch
| If your end use is… | Specify |
|---|---|
| Staple-food fortification | Food-grade, standard particle size |
| Dietary supplements / prenatal vitamins | USP/BP grade, compressibility data on request |
| Infant formula | Full documentation package, micro/heavy-metal reporting |
| Animal feed premix | Feed-grade specification |
| Fortified beverages | Grade with confirmed solution-stability data |
Not sure which row you are in? Describe your formulation and our technical desk will recommend the grade and packing specification.
Support that goes beyond shipping the drum
What our technical desk will do
- Confirm your target monograph before anything else. USP, BP/EP or a food-grade spec each drive different testing and paperwork.
- Flag light-stability requirements for your format. Solid, tablet and liquid formulations each carry different practical exposure risk.
- Point you to fortification-level guidance. We know where the common dosing questions sit, even though the final figure is your regulatory team's call.
- Be straight about what the molecule can and cannot carry. No hazard classification does not mean no documentation is required for food or infant-formula use.
Regulatory & compliance notes
- Fortification mandates vary by country. We check destination rules before quoting, not after you have raised the PO.
- Fortification levels are regulated, not optional. Many jurisdictions set statutory minimum and maximum Vitamin B9 levels in fortified staple foods.
- Pharmacopoeia compliance is batch-specific. We confirm which monograph version a given batch was tested against.
- Labelling claims differ by market. We supply the identity data you need for your own labelling and claims review.
None of the above is legal, nutritional or regulatory advice — your own regulatory affairs team owns the final compliance position for your product. What we commit to is accurate product identity data, an honest statement of specification, and complete documentation to work from.
From enquiry to delivered pallet
Send the specification
Product name or CAS 59-30-3, your target monograph and end use, quantity, pack preference and destination port.
Receive a firm quote
Pricing, lead time, packing and Incoterm confirmed in writing within 24 hours — our sourcing desk is staffed around the clock.
Qualify and approve
Sample dispatched if you are qualifying a new source. Batch COA shared for your approval before the material is released.
Ship and track
Documentation issued, freight booked, and the consignment tracked through transit and clearance to your door.
Others in the Chelora range
What buyers ask us about Folic Acid
What is folic acid used for?
What grade do you supply?
Is folic acid hazardous to handle?
Is folic acid light-sensitive?
How is it packed and what is the shelf life?
What is the minimum order quantity?
What is the difference between folic acid and folate?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Request pricing on Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
Send your target monograph, intended end use, quantity, pack format and destination port. Our sourcing desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and comes back with pricing, lead time and packing options.