Zinc Citrate

The zinc salt of citric acid, supplying approximately 31 percent elemental zinc, the highest payload of any common organic zinc salt. Cleaner taste than Zinc Sulfate, higher elemental fraction than Zinc Gluconate, and the standard zinc form in toothpaste formulations worldwide.

White to off-white odorless fine powder. Slightly soluble in water and freely soluble in dilute acids. Available in anhydrous, dihydrate, and trihydrate crystal forms; the dihydrate and trihydrate dominate the commercial market.

We supply food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade Zinc Citrate from manufacturers in China holding ISO, FSSC 22000, Halal, Kosher, and other certifications relevant to the product and production.

Common market grades include Anhydrous Food Grade (approximately 34 percent zinc), Dihydrate (approximately 31 percent zinc), Trihydrate (approximately 30 percent zinc), USP/EP Pharmaceutical Grade, and Oral-Care Grade with controlled particle size for toothpaste manufacturing.

Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering assay, zinc content, loss on drying, cadmium, lead, and microbiology.

Zinc Citrate is the zinc salt of citric acid, produced commercially by reaction of fermentation-derived citric acid with zinc carbonate or zinc oxide. Downstream crystallization yields anhydrous, dihydrate, or trihydrate forms used in food, supplement, oral-care, and pharmaceutical applications.

Regulated in the EU as an authorized source of zinc for food supplements and food fortification under Regulation (EC) 1925/2006 and Directive 2002/46/EC, classified as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA for use in food and toothpaste, listed in USP and EP pharmacopoeias, and approved by JECFA under the group Provisional Maximum Tolerable Daily Intake for zinc.

Elemental zinc content of approximately 31 percent places Zinc Citrate between Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate (23 percent zinc) and Zinc Oxide (80 percent zinc) on payload, with substantially better solubility and taste than Zinc Oxide. Bioavailability studies generally find Zinc Citrate absorption equivalent to Zinc Gluconate and Zinc Sulfate in healthy adults, with marginally better gastric tolerance than Zinc Sulfate.

The compound's dominant commercial application is global oral care. Zinc Citrate is the active ingredient in anti-plaque and anti-tartar toothpaste systems sold by every major dentifrice brand, where it inhibits Streptococcus mutans growth and reduces volatile sulfur compound formation responsible for halitosis. Particle-size control is critical in this application: oral-care grade is supplied to tight specifications to ensure dispersion and abrasion compatibility with silica abrasives.

The strategic position is application-led. Oral care is the largest single market; supplements and fortification represent the second pillar, where Zinc Citrate competes against Zinc Gluconate on elemental payload and against Zinc Sulfate on taste and gastric tolerance.

• Toothpaste and mouthwash; the dominant zinc form for anti-plaque, anti-tartar, and breath-control claims in oral care
• Dietary zinc supplements: tablets, capsules, and powdered drink mixes
• Zinc fortification of breakfast cereals, breads, plant-based beverages, and infant nutrition
• Functional foods and meal-replacement mineral premix component
• Pharmaceutical chewable tablets and oral solutions
• Animal feed zinc source where bioavailability and palatability matter
• Cold-and-flu lozenges as an alternative to Zinc Gluconate
• Nutritional bars and immune-support formulations