Sodium erythorbate
Sodium erythorbate suppliers and sourcing guide
Sodium erythorbate is the sodium salt of erythorbic acid, a stereoisomer of ascorbic acid. It is used in cured meats to speed nitrite curing and hold cured color, and in fruits, vegetables, beverages and wine to slow browning and oxidation. It is made from glucose, usually corn-derived, by fermentation and chemical conversion to erythorbic acid, which is then neutralized with sodium. Brands buy it as a white crystalline powder or fine granules.
- Also known as
- Sodium isoascorbate · Erythorbic acid sodium salt · E316
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of sodium erythorbate
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Fine granular
The usual meat-industry grade, sized to dissolve quickly in curing brines.
Powder
Finer grades for dry blends and seasonings.
Coated
Sodium erythorbate coated with fat to delay its reaction with nitrite in dry curing blends.
Non-GMO
Grades made from non-GMO glucose feedstock, for brands that make that claim.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Assay (iodometric titration)
- Sodium erythorbate content on a dry basis per the FCC method.
- Specific rotation
- Optical rotation, which confirms identity and separates it from sodium ascorbate.
- Loss on drying
- Moisture, which speeds degradation.
- pH
- pH of a solution, a consistency check.
- Lead and heavy metals
- Lead and other metals by ICP-MS against FCC limits.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep sealed in a cool, dry, dark area; in moist air or in solution it oxidizes and yellows. Make up brines shortly before use and keep it separate from neat nitrite until the brine is prepared. Shelf life follows the supplier specification, with a retest of assay and color for older stock.
Lots and expiry dates
Record assay and color by lot, and note the feedstock and country of origin if you make non-GMO claims. Rotate stock FEFO and reject lots that have yellowed or caked.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists sodium erythorbate (also called sodium isoascorbate) with technical effects including color or coloring adjunct, dough strengthener and flour treating agent.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's List of Permitted Preservatives includes sodium erythorbate for beer, cider, fruit wine and wine at good manufacturing practice levels.
Source: canada.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.
Sodium erythorbate suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking sodium erythorbate 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 sodium erythorbate? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of sodium erythorbate can brands buy?
Common forms include fine granular, powder, coated and non-GMO. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for sodium erythorbate include?
Expect assay (iodometric titration), specific rotation, loss on drying, pH and lead and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should sodium erythorbate be stored?
Keep sealed in a cool, dry, dark area; in moist air or in solution it oxidizes and yellows. Make up brines shortly before use and keep it separate from neat nitrite until the brine is prepared. Shelf life follows the supplier specification, with a retest of assay and color for older stock.
What is the regulatory status of sodium erythorbate?
FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists sodium erythorbate (also called sodium isoascorbate) with technical effects including color or coloring adjunct, dough strengthener and flour treating agent. Health Canada's List of Permitted Preservatives includes sodium erythorbate for beer, cider, fruit wine and wine at good manufacturing practice levels.
More acids, preservatives and leavening
- Citric acid2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid · E330
- Malic acidDL-malic acid · L-malic acid
- Lactic acid2-hydroxypropanoic acid · L(+)-lactic acid
- Tartaric acidL-(+)-tartaric acid · 2,3-dihydroxybutanedioic acid
- Fumaric acidtrans-butenedioic acid · E297
- Acetic acidethanoic acid · glacial acetic acid
- Phosphoric acidorthophosphoric acid · E338
- Glucono-delta-lactoneGDL · glucono delta-lactone
- Adipic acidhexanedioic acid · 1,4-butanedicarboxylic acid
- Sodium citratetrisodium citrate · trisodium citrate dihydrate
- Sodium lactatesodium 2-hydroxypropanoate · E325
- Sodium acetatesodium ethanoate · E262
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