Key Product Selection Criteria
- Assay and identity: Citric acid runs 99.5 to 100.5 percent, creatine monohydrate 99.5 percent minimum by HPLC, and potassium lactate 60 percent minimum in solution.
- Governing standard: Grades are documented against FCC, USP, Ph. Eur., or E number specifications, so buyers can specify the standard their QA program audits to.
- Impurity profile: Creatine is judged on creatinine and dicyandiamide, tricalcium phosphate on fluoride, and citric acid on oxalate and sulfate, each tied to how the compound is made.
- Physical form: Most of the family ships as granules or powder, while potassium lactate is a 60 percent solution that doses straight into brines.
- Particle size: Citric acid runs from 8 to 40 mesh coarse granular down to fine powder, and tricalcium phosphate reaches 95 percent through 325 mesh.
- Solubility: Citric acid dissolves readily, while tricalcium phosphate is practically insoluble, which suits anticaking and opacity rather than clear liquids.
- Contaminant limits: Lead is capped at 0.5 mg/kg on citric acid and 2 mg/kg on tricalcium phosphate, figures that carry weight in supplement approval.
Common Manufacturing Applications
- Beverages: Citric acid sets acidity and sharpens fruit flavor in soft drinks, flavored waters, and powdered drink mixes.
- Meat and poultry processing: Potassium lactate goes into injection brines for cooked meats, deli products, and marinated poultry.
- Sports nutrition: Creatine monohydrate is a core active in powders, capsules, and gummies.
- Salt, sugar, and seasonings: Table salt, powdered sugar, and seasoning blends stay free flowing in humid storage with tricalcium phosphate.
- Fortified foods and supplements: Plant based milks, cereals, and tablets draw calcium from tricalcium phosphate at low inclusion rates.
- Confectionery and fruit preparations: Sour candies, jams, and bakery fillings rely on citric acid for tartness and pectin set.
- Refining and filtration: Sugar, juice, edible oil, and spirit processors use activated charcoal as a decolorizing aid that is filtered out before packaging.
Documentation and Qualification Support
Each compound is documented against its own specification, with records released by grade, origin, and lot.
- Compendial and regulatory status: FCC, USP, or Ph. Eur. conformance by grade, with GRAS references such as 21 CFR 184.1033 for citric acid
- National List status: Citric acid, potassium lactate, and tricalcium phosphate are permitted in certified organic products under defined uses; activated charcoal only as a filtering aid
- Kosher, Halal, and Non GMO: Confirmed per producing facility and grade
- Standard documentation: Certificate of Analysis, Product Specification Sheet, Allergen Statement, Country of Origin Documentation, and Safety Data Sheet
- HPLC impurity testing: Creatinine, dicyandiamide, and dihydrotriazine quantified on every creatine lot
- Heavy metals and fluoride: Lead, arsenic, and mercury reported against specification, with fluoride limits on phosphate salts
Frequently Asked Questions
Less than crops, because quality is set by the production process rather than the harvest. Origin still matters for documentation, so the governing standard and producing facility are confirmed per grade.
Fine granular at 30 to 100 mesh dissolves quickly and still flows well. Powder disperses fastest in tablets, while coarse 8 to 40 mesh resists caking in long storage.
Phosphoric acid comes from phosphate rock, which naturally carries fluoride. The 75 mg/kg maximum confirms the acid was purified before the calcium salt was made.
Keep them sealed and dry, since citric acid cakes above 70 percent humidity and potassium lactate solution absorbs moisture once opened. Activated charcoal also picks up odors and should be stored away from solvents and flavors.
