Calcium citrate
Calcium citrate is the calcium salt of citric acid, made by neutralizing citric acid with calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate and then drying the precipitate. The common commercial form is the tetrahydrate, a fine white odorless powder with about 21% calcium; anhydrous grades carry somewhat more. Brands buy it as powder for capsules and drink mixes or as granulated grades for tablets.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
The standard form, containing four moles of water per mole, with calcium content reported on the as-is or dried basis.
Dried to remove the water of hydration, giving more calcium per gram and a lower moisture specification.
Calcium citrate granulated, sometimes with a binder, so it flows and compresses on tablet presses.
Small-particle grades for fortified beverages and dairy alternatives where grit and settling are a concern.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store calcium citrate in sealed bags or drums in a cool, dry area; it is stable but can gain or lose water if packs are left open in very humid or very dry conditions. Keep it away from strong odors. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, and aged lots are usually retested for moisture and assay.
Record the hydrate form, assay and loss on drying for each lot so the calcium dose is calculated on the right basis. Keep granulated and powder grades on separate item codes, since swapping them changes tablet weight and flow.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 184.1195 affirms calcium citrate as GRAS, used in food with no limitation other than current good manufacturing practice, and allows its use in infant formula.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)7 CFR 205.605(b) lists calcium citrate among the synthetic substances allowed in or on processed products labeled organic.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials includes calcium citrate for infant formula and unstandardized foods.
Source: canada.ca (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements monograph for natural health products lists calcium citrate and calcium citrate tetrahydrate among the source ingredients for calcium (Table 2).
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Bengaluru, India
Indian maker of pharmaceutical ingredients and mineral salts, with plants in Hosur. Its mineral range covers calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and selenium salts and amino acid chelates.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include tetrahydrate powder, anhydrous, directly compressible granules and micronized and fine powders. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect assay, loss on drying, identity, lead, arsenic and fluoride, acid-insoluble substances and particle size and bulk density, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store calcium citrate in sealed bags or drums in a cool, dry area; it is stable but can gain or lose water if packs are left open in very humid or very dry conditions. Keep it away from strong odors. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, and aged lots are usually retested for moisture and assay.
21 CFR 184.1195 affirms calcium citrate as GRAS, used in food with no limitation other than current good manufacturing practice, and allows its use in infant formula. 7 CFR 205.605(b) lists calcium citrate among the synthetic substances allowed in or on processed products labeled organic. Health Canada's List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials includes calcium citrate for infant formula and unstandardized foods. Health Canada's Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements monograph for natural health products lists calcium citrate and calcium citrate tetrahydrate among the source ingredients for calcium (Table 2).
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