PQQ
PQQ suppliers and sourcing guide
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a tricyclic ortho-quinone found in small amounts in foods such as fermented soybeans, green peppers and kiwifruit. The ingredient is sold almost entirely as pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt, a reddish-brown powder made either by bacterial fermentation followed by purification and crystallization, or by chemical synthesis. Brands buy it at high purity, usually in small quantities given the low amounts used per serving.
- Category
- Specialty nutrients
- Also known as
- Pyrroloquinoline quinone · PQQ disodium salt · Methoxatin
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of PQQ
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
PQQ disodium salt (fermentation)
Made by bacterial fermentation and purified to a crystalline disodium salt; the supplier should state the production organism.
PQQ disodium salt (synthetic)
Made by chemical synthesis; the specification should cover synthesis impurities and residual solvents.
Diluted premixes
PQQ blended with a carrier at a low percentage so small per-serving amounts can be dosed accurately.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Assay (HPLC)
- PQQ disodium salt content by HPLC, stated on an anhydrous or as-is basis.
- Identity
- HPLC retention time and UV spectrum compared with a reference standard.
- Loss on drying or water
- Water content by loss on drying or Karl Fischer, which affects the assay basis.
- Sodium content
- Confirms the disodium salt rather than the free acid or another salt form.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS.
- Microbiology and residual solvents
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, and pathogens, plus residual solvents from purification or synthesis.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep PQQ disodium salt sealed in light-resistant containers in a cool, dry place. It is a strongly colored powder that can stain equipment, so keep containers closed and handle in a dedicated area. Shelf life and retest dates come from the supplier's specification.
Lots and expiry dates
Record the assay and water content for each lot, and for premixes the actual PQQ percentage, since per-serving amounts are small and small errors matter. Note the production route (fermentation or synthetic) on lot records.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
GRN 625, for pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt from Nascent Health Sciences for use in certain beverages, closed in August 2016 with FDA having no questions.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)GRN 1118, for pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt from Zhejiang Medicine Co. for use in certain beverages, closed in July 2023 with FDA having no questions.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)A Health Canada natural health product monograph lists synthetic pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt as a medicinal ingredient, with methoxatin as a common name.
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.
PQQ suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking PQQ suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell PQQ? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of PQQ can brands buy?
Common forms include pQQ disodium salt (fermentation), pQQ disodium salt (synthetic) and diluted premixes. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for PQQ include?
Expect assay (HPLC), identity, loss on drying or water, sodium content, heavy metals and microbiology and residual solvents, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should PQQ be stored?
Keep PQQ disodium salt sealed in light-resistant containers in a cool, dry place. It is a strongly colored powder that can stain equipment, so keep containers closed and handle in a dedicated area. Shelf life and retest dates come from the supplier's specification.
What is the regulatory status of PQQ?
GRN 625, for pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt from Nascent Health Sciences for use in certain beverages, closed in August 2016 with FDA having no questions. GRN 1118, for pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt from Zhejiang Medicine Co. for use in certain beverages, closed in July 2023 with FDA having no questions. A Health Canada natural health product monograph lists synthetic pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt as a medicinal ingredient, with methoxatin as a common name.
More specialty nutrients
- Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone)CoQ10 · Ubidecarenone
- UbiquinolReduced coenzyme Q10 · Ubiquinol-10
- Alpha-lipoic acidThioctic acid · ALA
- NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide)Beta-nicotinamide mononucleotide · β-NMN
- Nicotinamide ribosideNR · Nicotinamide riboside chloride
- Resveratroltrans-Resveratrol · 3,4',5-Trihydroxystilbene
- Quercetin3,3',4',5,7-Pentahydroxyflavone · Quercetin dihydrate
- RutinRutoside · Quercetin-3-rutinoside
- HesperidinHesperetin 7-rutinoside · Hesperetin 7-rhamnoglucoside
- DiosminDiosmetin 7-rutinoside · Barosmin
- Citrus bioflavonoidsCitrus flavonoids · Bioflavonoid complex
- Pterostilbenetrans-Pterostilbene · 3,5-Dimethoxy-4'-hydroxystilbene
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