Citric Acid CAS 77-92-9

A: Citric Acid, also named 2‑hydroxypropane‑1,2,3‑tricarboxylic acid. Two main forms: Monohydrate (CAS 5949‑29‑1, molecular formula , MW 210.14) and Anhydrous (CAS 77‑92‑9, molecular formula , MW 192.12), EC 201‑069‑1. Produced by Aspergillus niger submerged fermentation. It appears as colourless or white crystals / granules, odourless with strong sour taste, freely soluble in water. Four commercial grades available: Industrial grade (cleaning agent, chelating & chemical synthesis); Feed grade (acidity regulator under FAMI‑QS); Food grade E330 complying with GB 1886.235 / FCC; Pharma excipient grade complying with current USP/BP/EP. Pharma grade applies strict control on bacterial endotoxin, heavy‑metals and oxalate impurities. Batch‑specific COA accompanies each shipment; blank spec sheets and MSDS/SDS samples are available upon inquiry.

A: We hold documentary qualifications with certificate numbers available for tender review: ISO 9001; ISO 22000/FSSC 22000 (food‑grade line); FAMI‑QS (feed‑grade line); pharmaceutical excipient GMP (pharma‑grade line); formal EU REACH registration; China customs importer/exporter registration with e‑port; valid export license for citric acid. We also provide a three‑year export track record (client names anonymizable), annual capacity statements, bank credit letters and third‑party factory audit reports (SGS/Intertek/BV), covering the four common tender review dimensions: qualification, capacity, track record and financial standing.

A: Citric acid prices fluctuate with upstream corn/starch feedstock and energy costs. Two pricing mechanisms apply:

(1) Long‑term contracts (quarterly / annual) adopt formula‑based cost linkage or fixed‑price with quarterly review, indexed to mainstream agricultural raw‑material indicators to stabilize both parties' budget.

(2) Spot orders are quoted per current available volume, quotation validity is 3‑7 working days as stated on quotation sheet. Quotes default to FOB Chinese ports (Qingdao / Shanghai / Tianjin); CIF/CFR/DDP terms available on request. For tender projects, locked price with explicit validity period is recommended. We can contractually guarantee price stability regardless of market swings within delivery window.

A: China is the world's largest citric‑acid producer, accounting for 60‑70% of global capacity with dominant Aspergillus‑niger submerged‑fermentation technology based on corn starch. Major production clusters are located in Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui and Jilin. High‑purity food / pharma grades are manufactured in large‑scale fermentation bases in Shandong and Jiangsu. Chinese citric‑acid products are exported to more than 100 countries and regions worldwide. Supported by group fermentation production bases, we deliver hundred‑thousand‑ton annual supply across grades and multiple full‑container shipments monthly. We can issue formal Capacity & Delivery Commitment Letter with liquidated‑damage clauses for tender projects to satisfy supply‑assurance evaluation criteria.

A: The standard flow has five milestones:

(1) Inquiry - buyer specifies form (monohydrate / anhydrous), grade, particle size, quantity, destination port and end‑use;

(2) Sampling - free 500g‑2kg samples (courier collect/prepaid) with sample COA; overseas physicochemical testing normally takes 1‑2 weeks.

(3) Contracting and Payment - T/T (30% deposit +70% against B/L copy) or 100% irrevocable L/C at sight; O/A terms negotiable for annual‑framework clients.

(4) Production - standard lead‑time 7‑15 days; 15‑25 days for large FCL orders with parallel vessel booking.

(5) Inspection and Shipping - full factory QC plus optional buyer‑appointed pre‑shipment inspection (PSI); full electronic document set sent within 3 working days after customs release.

A: Citric acid is general non‑dangerous cargo with flexible container options. Standard MOQ is one 20ft FCL (approx.20‑22 tons in 25kg PE‑lined kraft composite bags). Small trial lots for food/pharma grades start at 1‑3 metric tons (logistics cost premium applies). 1000kg jumbo bags are available. Trial orders can be price‑locked together with subsequent annual contract to reduce sampling‑order cost.

A: Citric acid is not listed in Chinese dangerous‑goods catalogue and ships as general cargo by sea or air, no dangerous‑goods package certificate required. Avoid dust accumulation and direct contact with strong alkali. Standard export packaging: 25kg PE‑lined kraft composite bags; jumbo‑bags optional. Storage: cool, dry, well‑ventilated warehouse with sealed moisture‑proof conditions. Citric acid monohydrate tends to effloresce under dry air. Segregate from strong alkali and oxidizing agents. Shelf‑life 24 months under intact original packaging. Flexible shipping options: 20GP /40HQ FCL, LCL and multimodal transport; DDP door‑to‑door solutions available.

A: HS code for citric acid (monohydrate & anhydrous): 2918140000, 6‑digit international heading 2918.14 (carboxylic acids with additional oxygen function)Export license and export inspection‑quarantine are mandatory. Food‑grade and feed‑grade shipments require export inspection & quarantine with electronic record / quarantine certificate. For pharma excipient grade, Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product can be provided if destination country requires. Standard document package: commercial invoice, packing list, export contract, customs declaration with declared elements (brand, monohydrate/anhydrous, assay, particle size, end‑use, CAS No.), bill of lading. Food grade includes Health Certificate; feed grade adds FAMI‑QS supporting documentation.

A: EU: Citric acid is REACH‑registered substance. Annual export above 1 ton requires registration via EU Only Representative (OR) or local importer. We hold valid REACH registration and supply tonnage‑coverage certificate with registration number. Food grade complies with EU E330 food‑additive specifications. US: Listed under TSCA inventory; food grade meets FCC requirements; pharma excipient can support DMF filing. Other markets: Halal/Kosher, FSSAI (India), GSO (Gulf‑region) certificates available upon request. For Türkiye, Southeast Asia, Ukraine etc., we issue destination‑language 16‑section GHS SDS and compliance declarations.

A: Full document suite includes commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin (CO / FORM A / RCEP preferential CO), 16‑section GHS SDS (destination‑language optional), batch‑specific COA, REACH tonnage‑coverage certificate; insurance policy under CIF terms. For EU‑aligned markets such as Ukraine, packaging labels comply with GHS hazard statements. Full set of documents sent pre‑shipment electronically for pre‑clearance to reduce destination demurrage risk.

A: Three‑tier QC‑control system:

(1) Incoming raw‑material inspection (full assay & impurity testing for corn starch, fermentation strain, activated carbon and neutralizing auxiliaries);

(2) In‑process monitoring (fermentation conversion rate, filtration & decolorization, concentration‑crystallization, real‑time control for crystal form and particle‑size distribution);

(3) Finished‑goods full‑panel testing with batch‑COA (assay, moisture, light transmittance, sulphated ash, oxalate, heavy‑metals, arsenic etc., tested per national‑standard / pharmacopoeia). Retention samples kept for 6 months beyond shelf‑life. Joint third‑party re‑testing is allowed in case of disputes.

Third‑party PSI and on‑site factory inspection by SGS/Intertek/BV are fully accepted, cost allocation defined in sales contract. For tender projects, Quality Assurance Agreement annex defines rejection, return and compensation triggers.

A: Claim window: 30 calendar days after goods arrival at destination port (intrinsic quality‑defect within shelf‑life is not limited by this window). Procedure:

(1) Buyer submits written objection within claim window with batch‑number, comparative COA data, photo/video evidence; goods and original packaging shall be preserved for verification.

(2) We respond within 3 working days with preliminary assessment. Mutually‑accepted third‑party lab can be appointed for re‑test; re‑test report serves as final judgement basis.

(3) If liability is confirmed on our side (off‑spec, wrong shipment, packaging damage leading to caking / contamination / dampness), free resupply, replacement or refund will be activated, with re‑test and reasonable freight cost borne by us. If damage arises during transit, we assist customer to file claim against insurer or carrier. All after‑sales commitments are incorporated into sales contract and may be cited in tender documents.

A: Full‑cycle technical support includes downstream formulation guidance (beverage acidity adjustment, food preservative compounding, feed acidification, industrial cleaning & chelating formulation); grade‑selection advice (monohydrate / anhydrous selection, particle‑size matching); regulatory‑change alerts (REACH updates, E330 food‑additive regulatory revisions). Batch full‑traceability service (trace back from COA to raw‑material & fermentation lots); annual quality‑retrospective reports for client internal audit and tender documentation. Bilingual Chinese‑English support replies within 24 working hours; dedicated hotline for urgent quality incidents.